I have EQ7 and upgraded to EQ8. Just recently I went back into EQ7 to find a design I'd made earlier and could not believe how much easier EQ8 is! Also, I think the website has made lessons more available and getting the newsletter (which does not require you to purchase the EQ8) are very helpful too. I'd also highly recommend purchasing the design books that go with EQ8(they are about $25 but are on sale for about $20 several times a year so wait!)as they have several "walk through" lessons per book and make excellent reference books for later.
I do not have a laptop with a touch screen or a Wacom tablet so find that trying to draw a design on my computer with just my Microsoft software or the photo editing program just is not practical. I do sometimes bring up a picture of a quilt block or top I am getting ready to quilt and with just my Microsoft Draw on it--not having touch screen makes it rather messy!