Comment 2 for bug 170703

If it is an option in preferences, it doesn't make it
extremely messy unless you choose for it to be... unless you
are talking about code that is.

The scaling and rotating handles isn't at all what I'm
referencing either (that's a little more uniform and less
flexible than what I'm talking about). What I'm looking for
is much more precise control of the specific handles which
just doesn't exist currently.

The ability to move node handles by arrow keys, just as you
can move gradient handles, would make our node controls
significantly more powerful. Also, the ability to use
alignment on the node handles (which would have to be pretty
basic of course) would also add much more control.

I just know that keyboard positioning is much more precise
than mouse positioning when not workin with the grid on.

An example of the level of precision I'm looking for is that
if I have two nodes, and take the inside handles (closer one
to the other node on the same path) and have the ability to
move the handles 3 arrow presses and 1 shift+arrow towards
each other and then 4 key presses downward. I know that the
respective handles will be precisely the same
distance/position in relation to their nodes. Unfotunately,
you can't achieve that with the current key commands for the
nodes because they rotate the whole node as well as
increase/decrease length of both node handles (when
applicable), not just the chosen handle.

I can ramble off many other benefits as well, but it's
something that other vector editors don't have and it adds a
level of precision and control that we'd be the first to
have. At the very least if we had some UI to numerically
modify the handle locations in relation to the "parent"
node, other than the XML editor, it would be a step in the
right direction.