1. as far as i know, none of the quilt design softwares include instructions for making the blocks.
2. EQ6 absolutely does print yardage estimates for each fabric for the whole quilt
3. i've never participated in the user forum(s) so can't express an opinion. i can tell you, though, that their tech support and customer service folks have always responded to my questions quickly, helpfully, and with respect. they've never treated me as though i was stupid ... (and i assure you a couple of my questions were about as stupid as questions can get. :lol: )
4. i don't like the mandatory online activation and max number of activations, either. however, although i could be wrong, i think if you had some sort of genuine problem/situation that made it necessary to reinstall the program beyond the standard number of activations, they'd help you do it.