Comment 2 for bug 791013

Please always add information about OS/Platform and Inkscape version when filing a report:
(your SVG file says 'inkscape:version="0.48.1"' - i.e. you are not affected by bug #698340 which has been fixed in time for 0.48.1)

> Level 2 EPS

AFAIU PostScript Level 2 doesn't support gradients -> a fallback image is created to keep the same visual appearance.

> Level 3 EPS

Both EPS versions render the same when viewed e.g. with
- Evince 2.30.3
- Apple's Preview.app (tested on Mac OS X 10.5.8)
- gs 9.02
- LibreOffice 3.3.2

(the attached screenshot shows the files in evince and Preview). To me it seems a problem of Illustrator handling gradients in EPS, not of the cairo-based export to EPS/PS (but I'm not a PostScript expert).