Hi JK
Re price - check quiltinaday.com - they have it for 142.46 with free shipping. I can't speak to EQ7 paper piecing function, but I do use the program frequently. Using the tutorials will give you a good start. I did not print them out as they suggested - just used them right from the screen. It is user friendly enough for me to figure out what I want to use it for, so for me it was a good investment.
Lefty