I finally got a copy of Linux Format issue 56, which is the one that has an article on Inkscape. I think this may be our first 'print' article.
"The only bad press is where they misspell our name." --Unknown
Well, they were consistent -- everyplace (including the table of contents) they used the name 'Inkspace'. Fortunately, they got the URL right (which I think makes the whole thing funnier).
The article is actually a short tutorial on Inkscape (I'll use the right name) but discusses the whole thing as an addition to The GIMP. The author acknowledges that it is all part of an artist's tool chest, and compares it directly with the Adobe products. Scribus gets a mention also. Overall, I think that this is probably a good way to approach Inkscape for users who are more familiar with The GIMP -- Linux Format is targeting geeks more than artists.
The first break out box is titled:
Inkscape: The User Interface Intuitive operation -- experiment for yourself!
And has a paragraph that reads as follows:
Inkscape uses a standard design for its windows, with a menu bar across the top, a toolbar along the side and a workspace, or canvas, connected to both. More importantly, it comes with a built-in tutorial system -- that, incidentally, was creating using Inkscape -- which is interactive and displays directly on an Inkscape canvas!
The tutorial goes on to make a business card. The author basically does his own text along a path to show how to rotate and resize different characters (he does mention that it is easier to do text along a path in Illustrator than Inkscape 0.38 :). It talks about drawing simple beziers and does some simple boolean operations along with some gradients also. The align dialog is also used.
Overall, the article is 3 pages long and covers the basic features of Inkscape. The business card that is created isn't that aesthetically pleasing, which doesn't make the app look as impressive. The thing that upset me the most is that the magazine comes with a 4 GB DVD with tons of stuff on it, not including Inkscape :( A big plus is that we got a screenshot on the opening page of the tutorials section -- a high visibility position. I wouldn't recommend that anyone else spend the $16 to read the article.
--Ted