For the last year or so, they have been going after third party software that allows you to cut out true type fonts, or other images with your Cricut or other machine. They have reached a settlement that Make the Cut will disable the 600 or so copies of the program that allowed users to back up the cartridges that they already owned. They also have to destroy the Design Studio's source code that allowed them to create the program. This means that they can no longer issue updates. And ProvoCraft will probably issue an update for their machines that will block all third party software.
Here is where my two cents comes in:
I bought my Cricut years ago, when it was the first machine of it's kind. So by the time all the other machines came out, I had already invested a lot of money in cartridges, mats, etc. and couldn't switch to a different machine.
I have a copy of Make the Cut, and about the only thing that I have ever cut from it is true type fonts. Provo Craft has released very few font cartridges that I like. With the hundreds of fonts on my computer, I had just about every font that I wanted to cut out.
I have still purchased cartridges from Cricut. I have alot that I bought because it is much easier to use the cartridge for a shape that has a ton of parts, like the Toy Story characters. I have never used it to copy and cut a Cricut image.
Design Studio was a waste of my $35. It does nothing but allow you to weld your shapes together, no shadow function, no where near the features of Make the Cut.
I have not updated my Cricut since they filed the lawsuit and I probably will not since I am no longer interested in supporting Provo Craft by buying anymore cartridges. I understand why they filed the lawsuit, but I don't understand why they didn't buy the software and sell it under the ProvoCraft name. It is a much better program and it would have made alot of their customers happy. It seems to be the normal thing for ProvoCraft to release a product full of issues, never fix them, and then move on to the next thing. So many people had issues with the promises of Design Studio, and then the Gypsy, and now the Imagine. Now they are making those same promises with Cricut Craft Room and we just don't believe them. And just this week they announced that cartridge prices were going up. I just can't believe that they think $89.99 for a cartridge is reasonable let alone another $10-$27?
I think that my love for all things Cricut has faded. I hope to sell one of my Expressions, and buy an E-craft or a Cougar which have supported the third party software. I honestly will never sell all my Cricut stuff, I have way too much invested in it. But I can't take anymore girly, whimsy, and other images that I just don't want. If ProvoCraft would have listened to what we wanted and come through with that, alot of us from the message board wouldn't be ready to give up on them. But that is where alot of us are. We want to create how we want to, and be able to make the decision on how to use the macines that we purchased. I will be using my Cricut today, and I will enjoy it.......as it is! Happy crafting!
PS-You can read the lawsuit against SCAL here
Your thoughts and comments on this are welcomed!
2 comments:
I knew about the lawsuit against MTC. Now that they are going after SCAL (which I have) I believe Provo Craft has lost any and all of my future business.
Makes me furious that they are releasing crappy, not fully functional machines and then going after companies that release software that makes the machines actually work and work well enough to keep people buying more of their products. Gah!
I hadn't heard about this. Thank you for the information. It doesn't surprise me that they went after the companies. I am surprised that they didn't acquire the company or something. So sad.
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