RE: [XaraXtreme-dev] Xara Xtreme 4.0 released

["Charles Moir" <CharlesM@xxxxxxxx>]

That comparison list wasn't even accurate for Xara version 3.

It would be ridiculously easy for me to create a list as long, probably
a lot longer of all the advantages of Xara has over Inkscape - and
that's apart from the real basics such as ease of use, performance and
reliability. But since it's your list I really can't see the point in
playing that game.

I'm sure users are not that naive to take such lists seriously (whether
it was produced by Xara or Inkscape)

Charles 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-dev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of bulia byak
Sent: 03 April 2008 20:21
To: dev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [XaraXtreme-dev] Xara Xtreme 4.0 released

On Thu, Apr 3, 2008 at 3:28 PM, Philipp Schmieder
<WishMaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Well, I don't think we'll get Xara 4.0 for Linux, will we?

Why not check out the new Inkscape 0.46 instead?

It's a major new release with a ton of innovative new features,
usability and performance improvements:

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/ReleaseNotes046

Just check out the (incomplete) per-feature comparison of Inkscape and
Xara:

http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/Xara_X

That list needs updating for Xara 4, and I plan to do this once I find
time for testing it. (Any contributions will be appreciated, of
course.) Just from the description, it looks like in version 4 Xara
tries, among other things, to catch up with some advances in Inkscape
(e.g. the "scribble selection" sounds a lot like touch selection in
Inkscape). This is great news, we always welcome good competition :)

In my perception, with release 0.46 Inkscape is reaching an end of its
"focus on the basics" stage. Most vector editing essentials are finally
there, and the gaps are filling fast. Now we are witnessing an explosive
feature growth fueled by Inkscape's and SVG's flexibility:
SVG filter stacks are endlessly powerful; the Live Path Effects system
promises a lot of new goodies (such as geometric and technical drawing
features,  easy variable-width strokes, true perspective distortions);
the snapping system is extensive and powerful; built-in scripting is
finally within reach; etc.

Of course with all this growth it is a challenge to prevent UI bloat and
to enforce consistency, and I think now we will have to pursue this more
aggressively. Various code refactoring projects are underway to unify
the codebase, drop some of the old cruft, and improve performance.
Still, the relative laxity and permissiveness of development so far have
been vital for the success of Inkscape and for its gaining mindshare. As
a result, now we have plenty of enthusiastic developers, and it's never
been so much fun to work on Inkscape :)

--
bulia byak
Inkscape. Draw Freely.
http://www.inkscape.org