I do not like the idea of zipping the files, it's not svg once it's saved and it's just getting around the problem rather than facing the clarity issues with linking/embedding images. admitidly the option would be good for prof's but I'd expect them to know the tool.

I don't really care about what the user 'should' be doing, that is totaly the wrong way to think about users (and it's an attitude that kills linux too) I think we should make it clear what the options are, regardless of what your personal bias or the way to arrange the options in terms of menu's/option boxes, properties. We should have it arranged so the user does not even have to think about adding an image or linking an image and the way you arange the options will reinforce to the user the way in which these work.

The problem of users thinking that inkscape is broken because it links to images because of the bias of InDesign profs should be dealt with in a way that serves all our needs but does not 'preach' to the users on how they should go about their work.