how about syntax highlighting in the XML editor?
Seems to me it would really be helpful, and being a non-programmer, I have the idea (probably ridiculously wrong) that the algorithms are there for the take and should just be copy-pasted into inkscape

EDIT: actually, it's especially the "style" properties that are a bit messy to read, other properties are nicely laid out in XML editor.
Maybe just break down the style attribute would be sufficient...