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So here is my figure drawing exercise: draw a ruler. This is easy to do with xfig. On many tools, it's hopeless, open office draw comes to mind.

It is much easier to draw in Inkscape. As an example, you can draw a curve and add the "Ruler" Live Path Effect.

Even without that effect it's easy with Inkscape. It has working grid, snap to grid and text alignments.

That won't be useful for arbitrary curves (non straight lines)

Agreed, but just try even a linear ruler in most drawing tools to see how hopeless they are.