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I think we (the web) chronically underestimate the importance of SVG. I mean we all use pixel graphics (JPG, PNG, GIF) every day, build services to scale images

by JepZ 10y ago

I think we (the web) chronically underestimate the importance of SVG. I mean we all use pixel graphics (JPG, PNG, GIF) every day, build services to scale images and have multiple formats for them have to admit, that they are not 100% perfect most of the time. SVG, on the other hand, doesn't need 5 different versions of the same image just to look okay on the receiving display. Even more, it always has 100% quality on the receiving device. As far as I am concerned, there are only two main problems with SVG: 1. The creation is painful 2. The renderer compatibility is too weak. While creation problem has many layers, I think one thing that could be improved is Inkscape usability. I spend the last months every now and then to learn to handle Inkscape and the first steps were so painful (and I knew what SVG is and was quite able to handle Gimp). I am sure if some usability experts would be involved in its development, many things would be implemented differently. And I really hope, someone will change that as Inkscape is such a powerful tool which should be quite accessible to the majority of users. Regarding the render compatibility, I think it is very important to fix that in the near future. I have high hopes that SVG2 will help here, but I think it is also our job as the web community to show the browser vendors, that we want that fixed version of SVG.

Al-Khwarizmi 10y ago
It's funny that some people say that about Inkscape usability. As a quite graphically-challenged person, it's the only graphics program I have been able to learn to an acceptable degree, and in an acceptable amount of time. Fireworks, Corel Draw, GIMP, etc. look like impregnable fortresses for me and I always end up using Inkscape. Maybe people like me who are just bad at graphics have different needs. Something like visual basic vs. real programming languages, I guess?
- stupidcar 10y ago
  Have you tried Sketch? I agree, all the tools you listed have serious usability problems for the lay user, especially when it comes to an SVG workflow. But in my experience, Inkscape has many of those same problems. Sketch is the only graphics editor I've used that I feel like I don't have to fight with all the time.
- 542458 10y ago
  > As a quite graphically-challenged person, it's the only graphics program I have been able to learn to an acceptable degree As somebody who spends most of his workday in graphics software, inkscape is a nightmare for me to use. And I think a lot of that is because it rejects a lot of the pseudo-conventions enshrined in other graphics software that I have burned into my muscle memory (shift to lock aspect ratio when scaling, control-plus to zoom, double-click to enter a group, etc etc etc).
geocar 10y ago
> it always has 100% quality on the receiving device It doesn't actually, but it's close. SVG with media queries let you group paths as being used only above a certain rendered size which can prevent artifacts of fine details showing up at very low zooms. I wish SVG had a mechanism for doing this that didn't involve scripts or css.

by JepZ 10y ago

Al-Khwarizmi 10y ago

It's funny that some people say that about Inkscape usability. As a quite graphically-challenged person, it's the only graphics program I have been able to learn to an acceptable degree, and in an acceptable amount of time. Fireworks, Corel Draw, GIMP, etc. look like impregnable fortresses for me and I always end up using Inkscape. Maybe people like me who are just bad at graphics have different needs. Something like visual basic vs. real programming languages, I guess?

stupidcar 10y ago
Have you tried Sketch? I agree, all the tools you listed have serious usability problems for the lay user, especially when it comes to an SVG workflow. But in my experience, Inkscape has many of those same problems. Sketch is the only graphics editor I've used that I feel like I don't have to fight with all the time.
542458 10y ago
> As a quite graphically-challenged person, it's the only graphics program I have been able to learn to an acceptable degree As somebody who spends most of his workday in graphics software, inkscape is a nightmare for me to use. And I think a lot of that is because it rejects a lot of the pseudo-conventions enshrined in other graphics software that I have burned into my muscle memory (shift to lock aspect ratio when scaling, control-plus to zoom, double-click to enter a group, etc etc etc).

geocar 10y ago

> it always has 100% quality on the receiving device It doesn't actually, but it's close. SVG with media queries let you group paths as being used only above a certain rendered size which can prevent artifacts of fine details showing up at very low zooms. I wish SVG had a mechanism for doing this that didn't involve scripts or css.