Vector Illustrations and Why Windows Sucks

I've always dug vector illustrations and design, and I noticed that when I was designing, I was often faking vector design. So I decided to bridge the gap and just get a vector program. I'm using Inkscape. It's an open source, totally free alternative to Illustrator.
First of all: Linux is the proverbial "Man" of the OS world. The more I use it, the more I like it and the less I like Windows. Just the usability is worlds better.

When you're in a Linux program, you interface with the software. With nothing but my right hand on the mouse and my left hanging over the corner of my keyboard, I can work uninterrupted. It was unusual at first, but now it's second nature. I'm so used to it, I keep using Ubuntu hot keys and navigation when I'm in Windows programs and I keep getting frustrated that I have to stop what I'm doing to go grab the zoom or some other thing. Linux OS and software let you operate in them uninterrupted. It's just little amounts of time that you're waisting in Windows programs, but these little hickups get in the way of your designing/work flow.

Maybe it's not for everyone, but if a die hard Windows fan actually tried it out, I think everyone would come to the same concussion: Linux software is more productive and easier for long time use. If you only ever use your computer to check emails and write reports in Word, then Linux isn't much use to you and you'd probably give up long before you saw the benefit. But to someone who's designing all the time, or working on 3D or animation or editing or any project, it's easy to see the benefit.

I was hesitant at first. I use Feisty Ubuntu, and when I first got it, I was always worried I would fuck it up in some unrepairable way. I think it was because of the terminal and that you can change so much about the OS, and I didn't trust that kind of power in my hands. Anyway, now it's just awesome. Everything is easy, and maintenance is a frelling dream. (yes I said frelling. It seem fitting here. Okay, how about fracking? ;P / )

I just wish I had known about all this before. The OS and all the software (pretty much all) are open source and totally free, and usually miles better than their pricey competitors. The only downside I see here is that it took so damn long for me to know that it was out there.

This might sound a little preachy, possibly pluggy, but I can't help being excited, partly due to the fact that I work a lot, and Windows likes to make that difficult for me. The programs devour ram and when a bug comes out, you're shit out of luck, because they're sure as hell not going to fix the problem. Whereas in Linux, while there's bugs, there's always fixes, and updates, and fucking progress people!




If you're new to Inkscape, here are some links I reccomend:

Illustrating a Mouse (good for familiarizing yourself in the program)
Tutorial on Swirls
Tut on Grunge
More on Grunge
Download Inkscape (note: works worlds better on Linux then on Windows)
Ubuntu (A Linux OS)

(This blog designed in Inkscape)