Pros
1. Keyboard shortcuts for everything
2. Excellent tutorials
3. Converts pdfs, so you can use it with an iPad touch tablet program such as adobe ideas.
Cons
1. Like all vector programs, this is not intuitive (you must take the tutorials in the help menu)
2. Too many buttons
3. Line size formatting tools are buried
Summary
Unless you're prepared to shell out $600 for illustrator and another $200 with every upgrade, this is the best vector graphics tool available, on any platform. But you need to invest the time to learn the software through the tutorials that come with the program. If you try to figure it out as you go, you'll be frustrated and will miss many of the shortcuts that make an otherwise unwieldy interface workable. Here are my favorites:
Editing nodes - First convert a shape to editable nodes by pressing Ctrl + Shift + C, then select the node edit icon on the left.
Freehand drawing - use pencil tool for a rough sketch and then press Ctrl L (hit L several times rapidly) to smooth the line.
Removing or adding shapes together - select two shapes Ctrl + to join and Ctrl - to subtract one from the other (good for removing chunks from a shape or cutting holes in it). This will cut the top shape out of the bottom shape, so if you want them reversed, you must first change the z-order
Grouping - Ctrl g (or Ctrl u to ungroup)
Bring object up or down (z-order) - fn up or down arrow
manipulating objects - Ctrl up or down arrow, Ctrl < >, Ctrl [ ] are useful. Copy and paste an object and then use Ctrl ( ) to offset it.
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Pros
Vector graphic is coming. When you learn it and work with layers you will be a pro!
Cons
Very difficult to learn dispite the big manul
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Pros
Lots of functionality, good support for SVG files.
Cons
Requires X11, causing performance to be about what you remember from your 486, and even then doesn't even display very well. And forget ever being able to find your files in its little, invented open file dialogue.
Summary
Clearly CorelDraw inspired, packing in lots of functionality, but just different enough to be confusing (to the authors: look up proactive inhibition) and the interface makes most of the functionality a serious chore to use. Expect to accumulate mental lists of changes you need to make to your documents, then put them off for weeks while you find excuses not to have to launch this piece of software.
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Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
It has the same user interface on all platforms, so no, it's not a proper Mac program; that said, it does an extremely good job at a price that can't be bettered. Once you've swapped the CTRL and CMD keys in X-11 most of the short-cuts are back to the ones you're familiar with. Inkscape is fast, easy to use and produces output as good as the person using it can manage.
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Pros
since I can't download it, how can I say?
Cons
since I can't download it, how can I say?
Summary
when I try to download, all I get is Not Found
The requested URL /sd/xWx-OZIqjVF0rjRzWy6BHoIvAFt5rplC7roP1dtCfo78aog4iLeddKUPZ6R9vhWxjwsV_LVpPU9CQWsd0PmGqXuA1G4LnajO/software/11107407/75823/3/Inkscape-0.47pre3-2.LEOPARD+.dmg was not found on this server.
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Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
This version of Inkscape, as the others before, will not start. I have 10.4.7 with X11. When I try to open Inkscape, it loads X11 as expected, but nothing come up a part from the inkscape icon on the dock. There is only the Inkscape menu with the basic functions....
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Reply by LeapingLizard on September 18, 2014
For posterity, and for people like me who are reading these reviews...
I had the same problem. If you go into system preferences and change your security settings to allow all programs access (not just the ones off the app store and recognized developers) it should work. It won't let you make an exception for inkscape I *think* because it's not running on you Mac persay, but on X11.
I have 10.9.something
Reply by dylan3--2008 on September 15, 2006
I have had success by launching X11 first, then inkscape. Plus, the initial launch can take a long time, so give it a minute or three.
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
Inkscape is a fantastic drawing program and easy to use. I didn't know squat about X11 but it's easy enough to figure out.
FYI, for Tiger you need to install X11 from your install disc. The download from apple.com is an old version that doesn't seem to work on Tiger.
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Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
This application requires X11, which is not a problem, but should be noted in the "Product Requirements" section. That only lists "Mac OS X" as being required, which is incorrect.
That being said (and with the disclaimer that I'm not a graphic artist) - this is a wonderful program! I'm definitely going to keep it around - I don't do a lot of graphic/vector work, but when I do, this should cover it. And it's free.
The documentation at the site - inkscape.org - is pretty good. I was able to look up how to have selected text curve along a path I drew. I know very little about vector graphics, and was able to dabble easily. That's a good sign. It also seems to have many tools/features for more advanced users. Hopefully someone will review this who has more experience with vector graphics.
It would be nice if it integrated better with non-X11 apps (copy/paste, etc.), but I'm glad that with Apple's X11 Mac users have access to many open-source applications. Hopefully Apple will work with the open source developers to improve integration (better clipboard standards, etc.)
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Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
This SVG-native program has nice text features, fancy transparency support, and a fairly refined UI. Its performance (on my 1.5GHz powerbook) is a bit slower than I'd expect, probably due to the fact it's an X11 program. Other than that, I have nothing but praise for the developers of this open-source program. In fact, I've already donated to the cause. If there was a well-done native Cocoa UI branch, that would probably turn this into an Illustrator-killer. Honest!
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