I can select Inkscape in aptitude (or any other package manager of any other decent OS), wait a few seconds for the download, and can run it immediately.

Okay, this won't give me the latest bleeding edge version, but instead I get a mature application that is well-tested and provides more functionality than I ever needed. (in particular, more functionality than SVG-edit)

> Comparing this with a desktop app is missing the point.

You seem to imply that SVG-edit has some inherent advantage over Inkscape because it is a web application.

However, the main criterion is still: getting things done for the user, isn't it?

So yes, maybe SVG-edit will evolve more quickly due to being a web application. However, in that case it should surpass Inkscape in the near future. Only then it has proven to be better - not because it is a web application, but because it is more useful.