Proposal for improving the digitizing tools
There is a new QGIS enhancement proposal (QEP) for improving the digitizing tools. The idea is to port the existing CADInput plugin into the QGIS core - so that every digitizing tool can use numerical input (distances, angles, coordinates - absolute and relative). In addition it should be easy to create parallel and perpenticular lines / polygons based on existing objects.
If you want to comment or support this project please directly comment at the proposal or contact Denis Rouzaud.
Update: the CADInput tool is now already integrated in QGIS master.