Inkscape Vs. Xara

[geminiguy]

Also, the rendering engine for inkscape has been stepped up quite significantly in 0.46

[The Alien]

Yeah, inkscape has its own merits, no doubt. And the rendering speed has improved since the last version I used. Still needs more development to become a program that I'd use often though

[geminiguy]

Some of the effects extensions and fixed features, like the gaussian blur, and the fractal engine, etc. would be really nice to see in Xara... if they could be added as plugins or something.
But the thing to make note of is, when new items are added into a new release, it may not seem like very much to the end user... but then when you can look and see all the work it takes just to add even the smallest new feature, it makes one appreciate it that much more
Sometimes you need to make changes within the existing architecture because one tiny property of a new feature has an effect on something else, and so on....
So, while I am not overly stunned by the new 3D block in inkscape... I can fully appreciate the work it took to get it in there And then there are all those various adds which are not obvious to the naked eye

[handrawn]

fractal engine - yes missed that out

in windows a version 6 photoshop or version 2 elements gaussian blur plugin [that comes with program] works in xara - don't think the later ones do

[suunto]

how do you import a trace from inkscape into xtreme?

i've used the tracer in inkscape and want to use xaras shape editor on it now?
thanks

[handrawn]

Hi

if you save from inkscape as pdf - xtreme pro 3 or 4 will import it

xtreme 4 might - not tried

xtreme 3 would not

[suunto]

thanks, i thought that was the case but it wasn't working think i've found the problem..............when i try and trace, i press ok but nothing happens the trace bitmap screen stays there

[handrawn]

make sure the bitmap you are trying to trace is selected - inkscape not quite like xara

[suunto]

think thats been the problem? thanks

[Xhris]

It's not really fair to compare open source Inkscape with professional, proprietary Xara, but if we must. Inkscape is a perfectly capable piece of graphics software that a lot of people have spent many hours developing for free. It has its expected limitations. But I don't like it for the same reason why I don't like AI or CD etc.: it's significantly inferior in every practical respect to Xara.

In fact, I just tried to export some of that clipart mentioned above as a PDF from Inkscape. Inkscape's memory use exponentiated for some reason while exporting and caused my disk to thrash like a gimp due to lack of memory. (It imported into Xara fine though.)