On Jul 19, 2014 9:20 AM, Partha Bagchi <partha1b@...400...> wrote:

I would think that any build (Mac/Windows/Linux) uses external libraries since Inkscape depends on gtk+ and friends. Only difference, on Linux it comes with the OS and so the user does not have to do the legwork while for the other 2 OSes, one has to build the dependencies.

Kinda, sorta on Mac. Some libraries do come with the system but may be optionally included with the distributed program. Others require a developer to explicitly include them. Also, the standard for applications on OSX is for each app to include its own copies of external libs, but infernally as part of the application bundle itself.

For the end user on a Mac no extra legwork is needed as all external libs are internal in the "application binary". It's also common to end up with multiple app versions side-by-side by simply changing the name on one app package before copying the next into the Applications folder.