There's a learning curve for everything, including EQ7. I haven't heard of EQ8 being out anytime soon, though I could be pleasantly surprised. I will definitely buy it when it comes out, because I like to keep the latest versions of software that I use often. And I do use it often - for every quilt I make and for many more quilts that I hope to make, or when someone has a question on the board, or just because... What I like about it is that I can design without resorting to pencil and paper, which I find tedious after a lifetime of using computers for everything. There are some feature I would like to have that are not there (or perhaps I haven't found them) but overall it's a great tool, as important to me as my sewing machine, rotary cutter, or iron. As others have said, Quilt in a Day usually has the best price.