start of 2.2.8
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 8a57941..c790b44 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 Small Footprint CIM Client Library NEWS
 
+Changes in 2.2.8
+================
+
+New Features:
+
+Bugs:
+
+
 Changes in 2.2.7
 ================
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 90adc92..6ef5c42 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
 
 AC_PREREQ(2.59)
-AC_INIT(sblim-sfcc, 2.2.7, sblim-devel@lists.sourceforge.net)
+AC_INIT(sblim-sfcc, 2.2.8-preview, sblim-devel@lists.sourceforge.net)
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([cimc/cimcclient.c])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADER([config.h])