Agree, it isn’t the most user-friendly tool, especially compared, as you did, to the proprietary alternatives. My favorite was the now defunct Freehand (so many things created with this,) but editing EPS files from it was a nightmare. Still, best UI hands down.
I am glad they are still moving forward. It has been an essential open source tool, along with Gimp. The CMYK thing, a proprietary system in its own right, has always been “a thing” with the open source community, open source heads butting up against immovable Adobe-based business decisions.