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GIMP goes SVG
An anonymous reader writes "The GIMP developers released a new snapshot in the development series. Version 1.3.21 (aka the path to excellence release) features an improved path tool with superb path stroking and adds SVG support. You can now export your GIMP paths to SVG and the new SVG import plug-in not only renders Scalable Vector Graphics for you at the desired resolution, it also imports SVG paths as GIMP paths."
So what does the GIMP use to render SVG and how good is it?
In particular, is it different from the libart that Mozilla has been using?
The world really needs a high quality open source SVG renderer. Adobe's plugins don't exist for every platform and Batik, AFAIK, relies on Java 2D.
"Provided by the management for your protection."
Sorry. That sounded rude. I should think longer before I say things.
Integrated SVG also avoid EOLAS Plug-in patents!
I'm sorry, GIMP's interface may not be perfect, but Photoshop's is 1000x worse. The reason people "prefer" it is because it's what they are used to, not because of any inherent advantage to it. The only thing nice about Photoshop's interface is their custom-painted widgets. But if Photoshop isn't the only app running in your session, it's a pain to work with.
Engineering and the Ultimate
I'm constantly amazed by this argument.
As if there was an objective way of comparing user interfaces. The only real measure of how good an interface is is how comfortable people feel while using it.
There's nothing wrong in liking a GUI because you're used to it. However, trying to coerce people to start using "a better GUI" (be it Gimp vs. Photoshop or X desktop vs. Win GUI) is wrong. There's no "better GUI" than the one you're already familiar with!
BOO! TERRO
Yes there is: you just have to discover it. I much prefer GNOME 2 over Windows XP. By your reasoning, Windows 95 is the best GUI for me because I was familiar with that before everything else!
In this case, though, your parent post is merely saying that the GIMP's interface is good in its own right -- not that everyone should switch over to it.
The grandparent, on the other hand, is basically saying that the Gimp should be changed to be more familiar to Photoshop users. That may be a valid response to Everyone Should Switch Over arguments, but if trying to coerce someone into using a different GUI system is wrong, than trying to coerce someone into changing their program to a different GUI because you personally like it better is surely worse.
1.3.20.
I periodically try out the development releases and admire the pretty widgets if the thing will compile or load. As a matter of fact, I built one this morning; compiled fine but crashed within 5 minutes of loading.
Personally, I would be much more impressed if the developers decided on a feature-freeze and cleaned up their mess. I can't remember off-hand how long stable has been at 1.2.5, but it's beginning to look a bit incongruous with GTK-1.x widgets and non-antialiased fonts on a modern desktop. I haven't been keeping track of dates, but it seems to me that stable has been at 1.2.x for years now.
Sooner or later they're going to have to decide what gets put into 1.4 and what gets left out. I would be happy to accept what they've implemented so far if it can be made stable and have all the scriptability put back.
I then installed The GIMP. I found its GUI confusing.
I then bought Paint Shop Pro on the recommendation of a digital photography book I respected. Again, I found the GUI confusing, but at least the book got me started on what I should be looking for. I think if I had read such a book about Photoshop earlier I'd probably be a Photoshop fan right now.
I now switch back and forth between The GIMP and Paint Shop Pro. The GIMP does some things better (script-fu is really slick) and PSP does some things better (scratch and dust repair, contrast enhancement.) But I still have to hunt through confusing menus, pop-up toolbar things, etc. I've simply come to expect that any powerful photo editing program is going to have a confusing interface, and that any program is going to take an investment of time to learn. Paint Shop Pro has some hand-holding tutorials that I found to be excellent at getting me up to speed. I'm sure these things exist for the other programs as well.
Anyway, it's all still easier than the old days with a camelhair brush and hand spotting negatives and prints.
John