as said in the other thread, I have EQ6, and I am not familiar with other programs...
PROS:
1 - any quilt (block) can be resisized - to me this is a MAJOR PRO.... say there's a block you've seen in a book or mag that you love but it's only 8" square - you want to make it but you want it, say for instance, 12"... and your brain immediately goes into lock down and your eyes cross even trying to think about all that math.... EQ6 does it for you...
2 - you can see how a quilt will look with/without sashing, change the size of the sashing, use all kinds of different stuff for sashing, etc etc
3 - you can import fabrics and play around with the actual fabrics you have, change colors etc
4 - you can print templates for a block
5 - you can print the rotary cutting instructions for a block
6 - you CAN print out the yardage needed for a whole quilt :oops: sigh
7 - you can play around with changing the blocks in a quilt - for instance, pick out which blocks you want in a sampler, change them around, recolor, resize etc
8 - the eq company has a fantastic website
there are more "pros" but that gives you an idea
CONS (and to me these are MAJOR CONS)
1 - You are only allowed 4 installations for your $$$$$$$
2. - You HAVE to have internet access just to install the program (It 'phones home') - yes, before somebody tells me, "well you do have internet access".... I'm well aware of that - I'm typing away on the internet right this very instant... but .. for instance .... one of the FIRST things people shut off when the bills are stacking up is internet access... and when a program is $$$$ and you have a hard drive crash and had to let your internet service go but you for sure want to keep your quilting fix going, it's a major insult to me that they FORCE YOU to either get internet or lose the use of the $$$$ program.....
3 - There are no instructions on how to sew a block. Now this one is 'iffy' on the con list. Some blocks are exceedingly simple to sew and this is not a major concern. Some are very complicated.
Most blocks I've seen so far in the program I've also seen in magazines and books etc so there's always the possibility of instructions around. There again - you need access to internet, books etc.
OTOH the program in no way claims to teach you HOW to quilt - it's to help you DESIGN a quilt.... and it majorly EXCELS at that
Would I buy it again? Knowing now what I do about the 4 installation limit - NO, but knowing now blah blah, I would probably get EQ5 because apparently it does not have those limitations....
As I said before, I really resent being treated as a criminal.... I don't care WHAT Jane Doe did with her version of the program to 'cause' this to happen - I am NOT Jane Doe and I did NOT cheat the company in any way shape or form, therefore don't tell me (by restricting my USE OF A PROGRAM THAT I PAID $$$$ FOR) that you think I just might be a criminal!
:evil: