title: Skencil / Resources

<h2><a name="N2" id="N2">Python</a></h2>
<p>From the python FAQ:</p>
<blockquote><p><i>Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented
programming language. It incorporates modules, exceptions, dynamic
typing, very high level dynamic data types, and classes. Python
combines remarkable power with very clear syntax. It has interfaces
to many system calls and libraries, as well as to various window
systems, and is extensible in C or C++. It is also usable as an
extension language for applications that need a programmable
interface. Finally, Python is portable: it runs on many brands of
UNIX, on the Mac, and on PCs under MS-DOS, Windows, Windows NT, and
OS/2.</i></p></blockquote>
 
<p>These features make python an ideal candidate for writing a
program like Skencil.</p>
<p>For more information about python have a look a the
<a href="http://www.python.org/">Python Homepage</a>.</p>


<h2>Link collections</h2>
<dl>
<dt><b><a href="http://www.gnu.org/directory/graphics/">Graphics
Category</a> of FSF's Free Software Directory.</b></dt>
<dt><b><a href="http://sal.kachinatech.com/E/2/index.shtml">CAD,
Drawing &amp; Painting Tools</a> at Scientific Application on
GNU/Linux.</b></dt>
<dd>
<p>Unfortunately they also list proprietory
applications.</p></dd></dl>
 

<h2>Drawing programs</h2>
<p>There are some other projects to develop free drawing programs
similar to Skencil.</p>
<p>One is <a href="http://koffice.org/karbon/">Karbon</a>
(formerly known as Kontour and KIllustrator), which is a
<a href="http://www.kde.org/">KDE</a> program and part of KOffice.
It's implemented in C++.</p>
<p>Another one is GNOME based
<a href="http://www.sodipodi.com/">Sodipodi</a>. It's
implemented in C and uses
<a href="http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/">SVG</a> as it's native
file format.</p>
<p>There is also <a href="http://www.gyve.org/">The GYVE</a>,
implemented in Objective C and Display Ghostscript. The project was
discontinued in 2002.</p>

<h2>Other Graphics Programs</h2>
<p>The most well known Free Software graphics program is certainly
the <a href="http://www.gimp.org/">GIMP</a>, a, no, <em>the</em>
image manipulation program for Linux.</p>
<p>If you ever need to modify a postscript file,
<a href="http://www.pstoedit.net/pstoedit">pstoedit</a> is a tool
to convert postscript files to a variety of vector graphics formats
including Skencil's own file format.</p>
<p>Another conversion utility is
<a href="http://autotrace.sourceforge.net/">AutoTrace</a>, which
traces the outlines of bitmaps and outputs them in vector form.</p>

<h2>Other Interesting Places on the Net</h2>
<p>If you're a free-software developer, check out
<a href="http://www.advogato.org/">Advogato</a>.</p>