Software update: Inkscape 0.92.4 / 1.0 alpha

Released version 0.92.4 of Inkscape. This open source and cross platform program is for editing vector graphics. It shares similarities with programs such as Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, Freehand and Xara X, but the big difference is that Inkscape works with Scalable Vector Graphics, an open standard developed by the W3C. The implementation of SVG is, however, incomplete. In addition to 0.92.4, an early test version of Inkscape 1.0 has also been released. More about that version can here are being found. The most important improvements for versions 0.92.4 and 1.0 apha are listed below.

Inkscape launches versions 0.92.4 and 1.0 alpha!
Inkscape has launched version 0.92.4 with increased stability and bug fixes. This update delivers some notable performance improvements for extensions, filter rendering, saving and moving paths (with a live path effect), and the measure tool.

The key improvements in this version will enable Inkscape users to do or experience the following:

• Align multiple objects as a group relative to a single object
• Write image data to standard output and read from it
• Experience extensions working faster within complex documents
• See improved speed when deselecting a path with many nodes
• Ungroup text elements won’t result in changed font size of children
• Able to print and/or print correct paper size with printers (especially Canon, EPSON, Konica Minolta)
• See improved performance of the measure tool when grids are visible
• See proper opacity of partially transparent embedded bitmap images in PDF export
• Able to Shift/Ctrl-click on control handles of shapes without crashing
• Build Inkscape with up-to-date poppler library 0.72.0 – useful for Mac users building with Homebrew

Version 1.0 alpha highlights

• Theme support
• Origin in top left corner (optional)
• Canvas rotation and mirroring
• Better hidpi screen support
• Control width of PowerStroke with pressure sensitive graphics tablet
• Fillet/chamfer LPE and (lossless) Boolean Operation LPE
• New PNG export options
• Path operations and deselection of a large number of paths are much faster now
• Variable fonts (only if compiled with pango library version >= 1.41.1)