Have EQ7 and positively love it. Major reason - able to scan in own fabric and then use it in the blocks which allows a colour retard like me to be able to combine and see how it will all look. Love it for that reason, also love the ability to import embroidery into blocks, draw my own appliqué designs - not always very good, but it is a forgiving pattern. I found that by playing around with the program you soon learnt what you wanted to know at the time. I am a very, very basic user - often just use one of the blocks already designed and put my own fabrics into it. Yeah it does take a bit of learning, but just learn what you need to know each time you go into the program - don't try and conquer everything at once. In my humble opinion it is very much worth the price.