[CLUE-Tech] Linux for publishing and the masses

[Jed S. Baer]

On 14 Jun 2003 09:52:05 -0600
"Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier" <jzb at dissociatedpress.net> wrote:

> > > > As perhaps a commentary on
> > > > the general state of Linux SVG programs, note that files such as
> > > > /usr/share/gdm/themes/happygnome/background.svg were created in
> > > > Adobe Illustrator. Since SVG is an XML format, you can open these
> > > > files in a text editor, and note the MS-DOS line-end style as
> > > > well.

> > > Is the MS-DOS thing from the Illustrator files, or Sodipodi? 

> > It's in the original files. I sorta feel a Stallmanesque rant might be
> > justified. I don't see the need to need to include files created with
> > a non-OSI licensed tool, especially if there aren't any OS tools which
> > can edit it. Was there some reason why Gnome couldn't have used a
> > JPEG, XPM, PNG, or whatever? I mean, it just feels wierd -- if you're
> > developing stuff for the open-source community, why use a non-free
> > graphics program?
> 
> .... *scratches head* Why the Hell did they do that???
> 
> That kind of frosts my cookies. Is that package directly from GNOME? I
> wonder if many folks in the GNOME project are aware that they're
> distributing something created in Illustrator. RMS would have kittens. 

Yeppers. In the gdm-2.4.1.3.tar file, straight from a Gnome official
mirror. It's gdm-2.4.1.3/gui/greeter/themes/happygnome/background.svg. I'd
bet it's pretty well known among the Gnome developer crowd. I mean, don't
most geeks look under the hood?

Another one: /usr/share/pixmaps/nautilus/default/emblem-distinguished.svg

Anyone can easily check for SVG files on their boxen:

  $ locate svg | grep -i 'svg$'

which is faster than using the "regex" switch with locate, and filters out
things such as svglib.

I'd bet Gnome/Nautilus have a graphics weenie or two who use a Mac.
Although could be Windoze.

We can all be glad that Stallman doesn't have kittens, it'd be like "The
Trouble with Tribbles".

jed
-- 
I wouldn't even think about bribing a rottweiler with a steak that
didn't weigh more than I do. -- Jason Earl