Saturday, March 12, 2011

CONGRATS PROVOCRAFT!

There was news on Facebook and the Cricut messageboard about the lawsuit ProvoCraft has going on with companies who provided third party software and how there has been a settlement in the situation. All I can say is HURRAY FOR PROVOCRAFT!! They did nothing but protect their company and products. For those upset, if it were your family business that was being undermined by another company, wouldn't you sue the third party software company?

I am a Cricut lover, that cannot be denied, nor will I try to deny this. I do have some issues with some of the products, but even then I feel if I buy the product and don't like it then I wouldn't buy it anymore. So here I sit with my Cricuts, Cuttlebug, cartridges, Gypsy *which okie still hates*, Design Studio and a few other ProvoCraft products and will not change cutting systems at this point.

Love me or hate me guys, I am happy that ProvoCraft was able to protect what is theirs. I would do the same!

If you would like to read the article here is the link:
ProvoCraft Sues Sure Cuts A Lot...

39 comments:

  1. I AGREE 100% with you!!! People can say all day long that is was wrong and yada, yada, yada but like you said..they would be upset if it were there software being messed with. I am proud for PC. I don't like everything they do but I am not 100% happy with any company so I will continue to show my support! :)

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  2. I say "Good for you, ProvoCraft! For standing up and protecting your investments!"

    Love my Expression and Design Studio. Don't have the third party software. Don't want it or another die cutting machine.


    I just hope I can pick up some real bargains from all the people complaining on the MB since they're "going to dump their PC products and save their money to buy another cutter".

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  3. I couldn't of said it any better!!!

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  4. I am afraid I have to disagree with you on this one. I did not steal anything from anybody and all I wanted was to make my Expression live up to its creative potential. Unfortunately the Provocraft product suite does not allow for that - and I've never understood why Provocraft didn't step up to the plate on this front. My Cricut is finding a new home (donated - not being sold at bargain basement prices) and I am going to get a cutter that does allow for nearly unlimited creativity.

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  5. I too agree with you Okie. ProvoCraft invented the machine, support the machine and make the carts that SHOULD be the only way to use their invention. You Go Provo Craft!

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  6. Amen, Okie!! I, myself, will remain loyal to PC! I love their stuff, have never bought the 3rd party products (just because I had no interest in them)...and will continue to buy PC! And I'm with Linda....maybe we can get some stuff cheap from the crafters who feel that the grass is greener on the other side!! Their loss is our gain!!! Woo Hoo!!! :)

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  7. Just wondering how this differs from Provocraft having color source code buttons right on the new Imagine machine so that people can "steal" the exact colors from PaperTrey Ink, Stampin UP, Disney, etc. Even Provo "employees" Tammy Skinner and Mypinkstamper had them listed on their blogs. I see both sides, but I'm just sayin....

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  8. I agree! Thanks for speaking so eloquently.

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  9. CONGRATS ProvoCraft...When you protect you, YOU protect us!!! i have lately been boycotting blogs that are bad mothing PC...I happen to BELIEVE in them and I am just an old woman who enjoys her Cricut and has been treated VERY fairly by Provocraft, always ready to help when my blonde/senior moments set in! Happy crafting everyone and thanks Okie !!!!! for being true to yourself and what you have taught

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  10. They need o remember they were not told they did NOT have permission from PC to promote their product to be used with it INSTEAD of cartridges !!!!

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  11. I have a Mac. Design Studio does not work on my Mac. The "other" programmes do. Until PC allow me to design on my Mac I will continue using my E with the "other" programme. I looooooove your cut files Okie. I loooooove your blog. I loooooove the few carts I can afford. I looooove my E. But at the end of the day I prefer my Mac to a P.C. I'm not sure they could win a suit against SCAL because it is a different argument; I totally understand where PC are coming from, but do think they are being rather shortsighted in all of this. Either work WITH the other programmers or make your own and give us all the choice? Jude.x (In the UK so carts are generally over £50)

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  12. I have to agree with Okie on this one also. Provo Craft is only trying to protect what they created. If I like a product I buy it! If I don't, I keep my money. But I don't steel it by trying to copy it. Not Music, not movies or anything else. If money is an issue I wait for it to go on sell. If PC wanted a Cuts and more product I'm sure they would have put one out all on thier own. And yes it is about money! That's why they are in business to make money. At the same time tying to put out a good product. If at some point I don't like it I'll stop buying but right now I like the ease of cricut. I don't need a refresher course every time I turn on the machine. I just pick a picture put paper in the machine and I'm good to go. So I'm still on board with PC! Won't be giving it up anytime soon. I do see the diffrence on color codes: I do believe color codes are public information to help with cordinating colors! If there is a copyright on them then they should be removed! Color codes are color not a product. I'm not going to stop buying paper! Ink is to expensive. I have a Bazzil app. on my I phone that gives me the color code to use as I please. If Bazzil didn't want the public to have color codes I'm sure they wouldn't have put it on their app. So I don't see where color codes fall into the same catigory as coping someones product that a company has made for retail.

    I do wish everyone happy crafting! No matter what side of the issue you fall on!!

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  13. I paid my money to PC for the machine. I should be able to do with it as I want. If I choose to design my creations in a 3rd party software then I should be able to do that and cut with my E. I think PC should of worked with the 3rd party's instead of dictating what you can and can't use with a machine you paid good money for. They won't have to worry bout getting any more of my money.

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  14. Total agreement here. The cricut was never advertised as being able to hook up to a third party software program. It was created to stand on it's own with the cartridges. I dont have either software program in question and really have no interest. PC did mention over and over on the boards that using the programs would invalidate warranties. I dont blame PC one bit, they have every right to protect their patent. The two software companies in question, have only one thing on their minds, to make money on the backs of PC. They know exactly what they are doing. The reason that many people have bought the cricuts to use is because the machine is much cheaper than the wishblade, gazelle etc. Just because people protest loudly doesnt make them right. As for the guy that created MTC, he was bold as brass coming onto the cricut message boards on a weekend to advertise his new product. That was simply not right. Congrats PC!

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  15. My only concern with this is is, does this get classified as jailbreaking?

    I remember not too long ago, there was this issue of jailbreaking iphones so that other carriers as well as third party software could be used. The FCC ruled that jailbreaking is legal which I agree with(your phone, your electronic quipment, I should be able to do whatever I want with it). This would also affect gaming consoles as well, so I guess my question for any lawyer out there would be, is a cricut covered under this FCC ruling? I'm not even going to get into logos, backups, etc., because my only question is in regards to jailbreaking. Piracy and other stuff surrounding that would clearly be illegal from what little I understand about licensing and such.

    But alas I am not lawyer which is why I would really like the jailbreaking question answered.

    However, this is not going to make me get rid of my cricut stuff since I like the ease of using my cartridges which I why I bought my cricut in the first place.

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  16. I disagree with MTC's former back-up feature and the SCAL board's discussions on how to steal graphics from on-line Cricut manuals. However, the great products in our country have consistently been developed upon the ideas of others. Competition is good. More peripheral products and better prices result, but they need to be produced lawfully.

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  17. I agree totally. I'm a devoted cricut and design studio crafter. And I always enjoy your honest opinion okie. Thanks a bunch

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  18. Keep drinking the Provo
    craft koolaid!

    And now, have any of you ever bought a knock off purse, shoes, clothing, cd, dvd.....get real people....

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  19. well, let's say somebody designs a line of stamps and they are actively promoting, selling and advertising their stamp product. Is it ok for me to scan a copy of the stamped images on my computer and then sell them on my blog, on ebay and on craig's list? Now I'm not talking about something made with the images, I'm talking about pirating the images and selling those and I get the profit, not the designer. That's basically what 3rd party software products do as they get a profit for their product. That same hypothetical stamp designer who says that it's ok to use those third party software products would most certainly yell to high heaven and cause all sorts of problems if somebody did that to her. It's ok to use those other products that profit from someone else's product/copyright but it wouldn't be ok for someone to pirate and profit from her stamp designs?

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  20. DS DOES work with Mac...you just need the right software. I used DS successfully with my Mac since it came out and had no problems with it (not like all the PC users did either) I did not have to resort to 3rd party software to steal images from PC or anyone else.

    BTW, I think all the boycotters are the real Kool-ade drinkers!

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  21. I don't get where people are saying the 3rd Party softwares are stealing images from cricut. How??? I own 3rd party software and use it to cut titles and things that are not available through Cricut. It widens my creative horizons. Shoot...I already own 136 cartridges...why would I need to steal images?

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  22. Ok, call me ignorant but I'm lost over this. Is this in regards to things like the Sure Cuts A Lot? Or something else?

    Thanks,
    Carrol

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  23. Love your blog Okie. I respect your opinion on the PC ruling. I'd just like to point out, if PC sued you personally, you'd be hard pressed to afford to be able to defend yourself also, as would the majority of us. A settlement is NOT an admission of guilt. It is merely one man's inability to compete financially in the courts. The owner is a family man, with a baby on the way. I'm not even gonna touch on the merits of the case, but thank you for Rockin' and always being openminded (unless ya get flamed, then it's ON!!) Even though we are on opposite sides of the debate, I still think you are super creative, you make me laugh every day, and if I met ya in person, I'd hug your neck.

    Thanks for sharing yourself with us.

    Laura
    tangosflock@aol.com

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  24. Well, gee, at least now I see what all the kool-aid references were about on our mb...I don't understand the "original" kool-aid comment though. Okie, did somebody give you some "PC kool-aid"?????! It was green, wasn't it??? LMAO!!! If Okie gets green kool-aid from PC then, I want PC to give me some green kool-aid!! OF COURSE it was wrong for 3rd party software programs to be used with our CRICUT machines!!! That's why PC told/warned everyone that it using those programs would void the warranties on the machines...that's why people were warned on the old mb about posting projects that only used THOSE 3rd party software programs (no Criuct was used except the Cricut machine) & they were, apparently, restricted from continuing to post those projects. I remember one very talented designer whining about how PC wouldn't let her post her projects on the PC mb because they used only the 3rd party software; she then tried to continue doing it but no longer referred to the software by name. She kept posting & thought it was cute to say things like "this was made using that other software" or "made using that bad-word software" or "this was made using that other program that I'm not allowed (she usually added in here that PC had slapped her hand) to talk about". She finally disappeared from the PC mb; maybe it's because she refused to follow PCs rules about posting on THEIR mb!!! I hope so!! I guess the bottom line is: follow the rules OR pay up & go home!!! Congrats PC on your much deserved victory :)

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  25. Okie i won't always agree with you but i love that we are all so different in thought. if everyone thought like me the world would be in a world of hurt. But i SOOOOOOO agree with you on this one. GO PC.
    Okie i will never leave you just cause of this or anything.
    Speak your your mind girl....

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  26. I adore you Okie my dear, but we will have to agree to disagree on this issue. I see this as jailbreaking the cricut. The courts ruled that jailbreaking is legal. You basically hack the system to do something different. You buy the item it is legally yours. You do with it as you wish. This is what makes great software engineers and code writers. It is the challenge the brings out the incredible minds out there to do something new. MTC was wrong, way wrong in what they did. I love my scal as much as I love my iphone that I use with tmobile. :)

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  27. And Misty dear you know I adore you! That is what is great about friendship...agreeing to disagree. My only regret is that we will not get to share a bed in Dallas! ROTFLMAO

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  28. I can see both sides. PC should have smelled the coffee and developed something sooner...Then they could have been making the money. Are they going after MTC next? I don't have any of the software...just 2 machines and a BUNCH of cartridges. I don't have the time for the learning curve on the software...and I have the dreaded (loved by me) Mac.

    Also, will Cricut Craftroom help bridge the gap? I don't know enough about it yet.

    And, people, let's get some perspective here. Nuclear reactors are melting down in Japan.

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  29. My reply shall be short and sweet ...

    I AGREE!!!!!

    Hugz,
    Carol

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  30. Copyright laws protect the owner who may have invested lots of time and money into an image or product. I think PC had the right to sue,. sounds like they only wanted the 3rd party offender to stop producing a way to cut without a cartridge. Music has copyright laws, movies have copyright laws, books have copyright laws, that's why we have a democratic nation. I haven't read enough on the lawsuit to make a determination, but I sure wouldn't want anyone violating my copyright rights. My sister paints glass on various objects like oil bottles, candy dishes, vases, etc. and sells them at craft fairs. at least once every fair, someone wants to take a picture of her work so they can replicate it themselves. Is that fair? She generally does not allow it and gently request that the person not take pictures of her work.

    Maureen

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  31. Okie, I love your blog & check it frequently for inspiration. I'm afraid though that we've agreed to disagree on this. While what the 3rd party software did may have been wrong & tantamount to stealing, people still paid good money for it as well as for their ProvoCraft products, they should be able to do with it as they see fit. Having said that, people who own the gypsy or ds & offer cut files to others to use, are essentially stealing from PC, they are offering up copyrighted images to others either for free or for a small fee & that is copyright infringement. Stealing is stealing no matter how one slices it. It's a good thing we live in a country where it's permissible to agree to disagree, otherwise it sure would be a boring place to live. You keep on posting what you feel.

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  32. I agree and yet disagree. I love my Cricut for what it is, a cartridge based system, and yet I love SCAL for the freedom it gives me to cut what I want. I do feel that once I put my hard earned money down for a machine it should be mine to do what I want with. That being said, my solution is to keep my cricut and carts and eventually just invest in another cutter that is SCAL friendly. There is nothing wrong with the software, just the way it was used, and there is no rule that says you can't have more than one cutter. I love my Cricut and carts but they aren't the only game in town when it comes to SCAL and MTC. Lots of other cutters are working WITH them and I think we will see some superior cutters on the market real soon. But my E was my first cutter and I will always have one too. I guess I just don't understand why this is causing soooo much conflict when the solution is an easy one...lol. At least it is for me.

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  33. You may of bought and paid for your machine but you also agreed to the terms of use, which does not allow third party software.

    I love PC products and I have to problems abiding by their terms. I am also very happy PC won the case, settlement, whatever you want to call it.

    I do find it rude to post negative remarks towards the person, of which the BLOG belongs to. Okie is very kind to have such a beautiful BLOG and share her adorable ideas. My mother always said, "if you don;t have something nice to say, then don't say anything".

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  34. I agree with you 100% as well. I would like to remind everyone that the creators of both Make The Cut and SureCutsALot knew they were breaking copyright laws when they created their software.

    Did I take advantage of SCAL and MTC and purchase them? Yes, I did and I enjoy using them. However if those of us that purchased these solutions to handle our creative ideas not yet supported by PC would have pushed harder on PC, maybe they would have worked harder to provide a solution for us.

    The new Craft Room should be great if it is half as good as they say it is and I am looking forward to using it. It won't take the place of my Gypsy (YES! I love my Gypsy) but I love the possibility of creating on a larger screen.

    We know what is possible, it is up to us to let PC know what we want.

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  35. Another comment after reading other messages.

    When people give/trade/whatever gypsy files, they are not stealing from ProvoCraft. The person on the receiving end must have the cartridges use in order to cut the design. The files are someone's design using cartridges and that is not property of ProvoCraft. This process probably causes us to purchase more cartridges, it sure has put more cartridges on my "want" list.

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  36. Okie - you keep saying whatever you want on your blog. You are honest, funny, and sincere. IT IS YOUR BLOG FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! If someone can't disagree wth your opinion & still continue to follow your creative genius, then so long to them.

    And ... I hope you mixed something strong in with that PC Kool Ade. I'll have one, too!

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