Boycott Provo Craft. the makers of the Cricut

[dogcarbon]

I am in support of boycotting Provo Craft.

Check out the facebook page for Boycott Provo Craft.

In two days there are almost 1100 supporters.

PC has filed a recent law suit against SCAL.
Recently PC has settled out of court with MTC.

Enough is enough.
I can't wait to buy a new cutter.

 

[jacksmomma]

Can you summorize the facebook page? I do not do FB.

 

[dogcarbon]

This is the official FB description:
We users of Make-the-Cut and Sure-Cuts-A-Lot software products to enhance our electronic cutters are thoroughly disappointed in the manner in which Provo Craft - i.e. makers of Cricut electronic cutters and Criciut Cartridges - have forced the creators of these software applications to remove the ability to use our machines with these software applications. So a sign of support for this but keep it clean. This is not a place to vent and get ugly but to show PC crafters reach far and wide and will discontinue use of their products.


And this is the first post by the admin there:
"This is the place to show Provo Craft that we crafters are unhappy with their willingness to work with third party software companies to expand the use of their electronic cutters. Instead they are forcing these companies to make changes to their software so that we cannot use the software with PC electronic cutters. Please keep it clean, no ugliness here."

Thank you for asking. I don't want to start a debate, just sharing the information.

 

[jacksmomma]

Interesting...I really need to let this sit for a while before I come up with an opinion. However, how does this effect current SCAL users? As long as you already have the software and you do not update the firmware on your machine you are good to go right?

 

[wdwmickey]

I was wondering the same thing when I came across this info earlier today. No debate--just want to make sure I can still use the stuff I already have.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Interesting,

I'll be watching what happens. Like why now and not when SCAL first launched. Is PC working on their own format to use TTF?

Day late and a dollar short if you ask me.

Guess I better hurry up and find some SCAL software.

 

[jacksmomma]

Interesting,

I'll be watching what happens. Like why now and not when SCAL first launched. Is PC working on their own format to use TTF?

Day late and a dollar short if you ask me.

Guess I better hurry up and find some SCAL software.

Exactly! I am guessing that either A. PC is working on their own version, or B. they are seeing an impact on their cart sales. I suspect that they are watching their bottom lines a little more since their Cake line did not go as well as they had hoped.

Me too! I have been thinking about it for a while...guess I better get to it!

 

[JohnsonsLoveDisney]

Hmmm Interesting. I was thinking about upgrading to the new Expressions since mine is getting a little old and I am really tired of cutting Disney Script S 170938493098-304 times to get one that I can use. But in looking at it I think it may block the other software since its a more computerized version. I may just have to get another Expressions V.1

I have no clue what they are thinking but I do use SCAL a whole lot more than CDS but only for fonts. I still purchase carts. But really lately nothing they have come out with, with the exception of the Disney carts has really grabbed my attention.

 

[morgansmom2000]

I honestly don't see any reason to *boycott* anyone. Why can't they all just get along? They *MUST* have figured out the easiest and cheapest way to make those cartridges by now. There is NO reason why they should be charging $100 for an item that 6 months later is selling for $20, other than good old fashioned greed. (I am not naive, I know they are in it for the money, but really?)

I would support PC more if they put a little more effort into fixing the problems with their current products before trying to come up with the next big thing (still can't get hide selected contour to work in Design Studio, why do we still have two Pagoda in the CDS list, have you tried to update your Gypsy lately, etc., etc., etc.).

I have a lot invested in my machine and many many cartridges and I won't boycott PC. I know the work-around, I've done it at least a couple hundred times, but sometimes it's just easier to pop a cartridge in and work with it.

 

[jacksmomma]

I have no clue what they are thinking but I do use SCAL a whole lot more than CDS but only for fonts. I still purchase carts. But really lately nothing they have come out with, with the exception of the Disney carts has really grabbed my attention.

I have to admit that I have not bought the new Disney carts simply because of all the holes! Anyone think it is odd that the older carts have no empty spaces, but the new ones have tons?! Awfully funny that they could make a full cart when they were just starting out and did not have a fan base!

 

[wdwmickey]

I guess I just won't be "updating" my "E" or my gypsy. I finally figured out how to use my gypsy (and I love it ) I can't get CDS to work right and I can't get anyone from PC to help me over the phone. I use SCAL because I can find or make images on it that I can't find on carts (and I have lots of those--approx 35). I wish the companies would just work together. I have a lot of money invested in my Provo Craft stuff, so I'll keep using it

 

[tyniknate]

Have been looking and SCAL but waiting to purchase. Does this mean I need to buy it right now, before it changes?

 

[dogcarbon]

SVGCuts.com on their facebook page is floating a sale on SCAL similar to the Black Friday "deal". anyone know what the BF deal was?

I will continue to USE my PC stuff that I currently have, but I do not plan on buying anymore. They are not getting any more of my money.

I think the lawsuits were the straw that broke the camel's back to to speak for the PC customers.

And when my E dies, I will not replace it with the latest and greatest PC product.

 

[jacksmomma]

SVGCuts.com on their facebook page is floating a sale on SCAL similar to the Black Friday "deal". anyone know what the BF deal was?

I will continue to USE my PC stuff that I currently have, but I do not plan on buying anymore. They are not getting any more of my money.

I think the lawsuits were the straw that broke the camel's back to to speak for the PC customers.

And when my E dies, I will not replace it with the latest and greatest PC product.

If I am remembering correctly the BF sale was half price.

 

[JohnsonsLoveDisney]

I have to admit that I have not bought the new Disney carts simply because of all the holes! Anyone think it is odd that the older carts have no empty spaces, but the new ones have tons?! Awfully funny that they could make a full cart when they were just starting out and did not have a fan base!

I didnt notice the holes really, since i bought them for some specific cuts and I dont use all the extra cuts. I use them for the convenience of it. I do have Disney cuts in SCAL but they can sometimes be a pain to put together without the guides on the bases.

 

[ColleenG]

I have been thinking about getting SCAL. I also have the Gypsy so I have had to update my Expression firmware. Would I be able to use SCAL? Sorry I did update my stuff not too long ago. Since then my G and E have not always been talking to one another. It's very annoying.

 

[dogcarbon]

according to a poster on the Craft Edge forum, as of yesterday, MTC would not work with the Cricut, if you upgraded your MTC to the latest version. SO, you need to maintain the status quo.... no updates=no improvements.

 

[Iris]

Thanks to all for posting this information...I have been so busy at work that I have not had a chance to get caught up on all of the latest info regarding Cricut, SCAL and MTC.

I have both SCAL2 and MTC and both will still work with my cricut for now. It is my understanding that as long as I do not do any updates, my version of MTC will continue to work. I have no doubt that the same fate will fall upon SCAL as well.

I actually use all three products; MTC, SCAL and CDS for various reasons. I wish that PC would just hire the makers of MTC and SCAL to create legal software products for those of us who cannot affort $60-$90 a cart. (ok, I haven't paid that price for a long time but I see them in the stores for those prices).

I think what PC fails to understand is that the price point for a brand new cartridge is just too high. I have no idea what their profit margin is for each cartridge but I would imagine it is pretty high.

I haven't purchased any new cartridges recently except for the Disney ones, mainly because there are not a lot of new ones that interest me at all. But also because I simply cannot afford those prices so I am forced to wait until they have been out for a while and I can get them in a secondary market.

This is really sad...but I am glad that I have backed up my last downloads for MTC and SCAL, I will be putting those files in a safe place and just won't update my cricut firmware for as long as possible.

 

[tyniknate]

So I should not update my cricut? It hasn't been done in probably more than a year and I just purchased SCAL yesterday. Should I wait and see? Now I'm really confused!

 

[Iris]

So I should not update my cricut? It hasn't been done in probably more than a year and I just purchased SCAL yesterday. Should I wait and see? Now I'm really confused!

I haven't read anything yet about the cricut firmware having the capability to block third party software and it looks like that last updates for the CDS software for fonts occured January 18, 2011. I have the latest fonts installed and so far, my cricut continues to work with both MTC and SCAL2.

I can't remember the last time I updated my firmware. I know it has been a long time.