Hi Joshua and others,
SVG 1.2 full will introduce a feature called vector-effects that allows multi-stroking, intersection/union/join/exclude, and also allows to reverse the path direction. It also allows to first stroke and then fill or vice versa.
Inkscape is an invited expert member of the W3C SVG working group and is thus invited to help working on the vector effects module for SVG 1.2
The working group is currently concentrating in getting SVG 1.2 Tiny out, but after that is finished, we will work on SVG 1.2 full again. Inkscape is invited to already work on a proposal for vector effects module, based on the existing work done so far: http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/WD-SVG12-20041027/vectoreffects.html
So yes, sometimes SVG can be a constraint. But Inkscape, being a working group member, can change the SVG specification. No reason to complain about SVGs limitation. Helping on the SVG specification does not solve the limitation problems immediately, but it can help in the medium time frame (1-3 years).
Andreas
Joshua A. Andler wrote:
I think that Illustrator introduced a much better way to do this than in Corel, but again, SVG is our limitation. The better way is to have the outline configurable as to how much of it is inside or outside of the shape. However, I believe in Illustrator the options are normal/centered, inside, or outside (which seems limiting when it could be via percentage or something).