EQ5 question

The following is a personal view of EQ6, and to put it in context I am probably not what they would describe as an "average" user.

EQ5 drawing made it easier to get the detail I want. I don't like the new line colourings in EQ6 (hard to see and can't be changed) and I find detailed manipulation of Bezier Curves in EQ6 much harder to manage.

I also cannot open any of my existing DETAILED applique files from EQ5 in EQ6 - and there is NOTHING wrong with the files or drawings.

I have had EQ6 in constant use for two weeks now and just cannot share the rave reviews. It looks new and pretty, but in some areas it does not perform as well as EQ5 for the uses I want. Admittedly I may not be the "average" user, as I rarely use EQ to just drop blocks into a standard layout. But I was disappointed.

And I was just plain angry at the way the release was handled by EQ. Support for retailers/users outside the US has dropped right off, and repeated questions on the Forums for clarification just kept getting either ignored or referred to the same vague links for weeks after the release.

The one feature I would have been interested in (border formats) has a "bug" (seems a pretty minor one), and so far as I know (I'm not checking anymore) EQ has not addressed the questions in the Forum on that either. I also think that a few of the "new features" are not much more than novelty value, but YMMV.

I have no problem with a company protecting its rights by using activations, but the cost of the quilting software (that has no substantial improvement FOR MY USES from EQ5 of several years ago) will double in less than two years because of how I manage my hardware. Most quilters will not face that, but EQ6 no longer meets my needs. And - again, I emphasise - MY needs.

EQ5 was and is a great program and I will continue to use that rather than lose access to all my existing designs and files, and face the added costs of more activations. My EQ6 was a gift, but I would not have bought it for mself - even at the very reasonable price they offered for an "upgrade". It almost seems as if they "dumbed down" (to quote another user) to meet demands for a simpler push button version of standard layouts. Lots of people are happy with the results - I'm just not one of them (shrug). I wanted enhancements to EQ5 capabilities (specifically drawing), not a new program driven by pictograms and pre-programmed options.

I have QuiltPro5 (easy and quick, great for a quick test of block layouts but nowhere near as powerful as EQ for drawing) and I will start investigating upgrading my Corel drawing software for something I can (?) adapt for quilt design.

Cheryl, are you in the Info EQ list? It seems the questions are addressed quicker there than in the website forums. I assume you are, but thought I'd suggest it anyway. I haven't started playing with my 6 yet. K

Yes I am, but I haven't been very happy with some of the answers. It took a long time to get the price for additional activations, and they have still not defined the "genuine problems" that would exempt users from paying. Many reading the information are assuming that if they contact EQ with a good reason they will not have to pay, but EQ is not clarifying or committing to anything ATM. I cannot imagine that there will be much scope for exemptions, and I think EQ should spell that out to those who are making assumptions to the contrary.

Last time I looked they hadn't responded on the border problem.

I stand by my comments on poor support for users/retailers outside the US.

The thread was closed right after an answer to my views being posted on the Forum. However the thread was very long by then so I do not read anything into that.

My preference for EQ5 over EQ6 is personal. I don't agree with the rave reviews being posted everywhere, but as I said - I am NOT an average user. I was disappointed because EQ6 did not give me any great advances in the main areas I am interested in, and the pre-release hype had led me to expect more. I would not discourage anyone from buying EQ6, just encourage them to look carefully at all options (especially given the possibility of picking up EQ5 at progressively cheaper rates in future).

By any standard EQ5 and EQ6 are powerful quilt design tools at very reasonable prices. But I would happily pay more for an advanced version with more drawing features. As this is not a requirement for most quilters I do not really expect such a development to eventuate.

What can I say - I like to draw applique designs so I want drawing features lol

I wonder if they are working on the border solution before posting any remarks about it? And it seems to me they would want to work with a customer on a private basis about legitimate reasons for additional activations. Just speculating. I haven't had any quarrels with the program.....but as I said, I'm just a very occasional user. KJ

Thanks for such a detailed reply.

I upgraded to EQ6 really with the hope they would have 'improved', at least improved in my terms, the drawing capability but it appears I am also disappointed.

I was interested to see you use Corel Draw for designs, I use Microsoft Visio, which I have more than a passing knowledge having used it in my 'professional life'. In my view Visio is both more powerful and far easier to use than the EQ drawing program, you may care to investigate Visio, it may suit your purposes. Like you, I would welcome some means to convert files created in an 'external' program into the EQ Format to take advantage of the pluses that EQ offers in other respects.