Comment 4 for bug 682747

earlier reports about the same or similar issue:

-- GC Warning / std::bad_alloc
168738 Out of memory on 5MB svg file opening (Ubuntu Feisty)
         <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/168738>
168937 [needfile] Out of memory in
         openstreetmap tiles@home project (linux)
         <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/168937>
214859 inkscape crashes, blank error message box, corrupted
         backup and original save (PCLinuxOS)
         <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/214859>
367779 Out of memory crash while importing large pdf (Ubuntu 7.10)
         <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/367779>
308589 Inkscape crashes when large file has been opened
         and zoomed some times (Debian, Ubuntu)
         <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/308589>
394228 inkscape crashes with bad alloc on conversion from
         svg to png (win32)
         <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/394228>
392421 Crash when open *.ai more tham 500mb (Ubuntu 9.04)
         <https://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/+bug/392421>

list taken from earlier message on inkscape-devel (possibly missing newer duplicates)
<http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.graphics.inkscape.devel/34560/focus=34564>