For What its Worth- My Humble Opinion on the ProvoCraft/MTC Lawsuit

I'm a diecutter. A paper piecer. Call me what you will, but I'm a scrapper who loves using die cut images in her projects. It is with great sadness, then, that I received the news that crafting giant Provo Craft had taken Make The Cut to court, and that as a result, MTC would no longer be able to sell software for use with the Cricut.

Make The Cut (MTC) is a software program that allows Cricut owners to interface their computer with their Cricut and cut SVG files. I know of at least two other products currently on the market that do essentially the same thing- Fairy Cut, and Sure Cuts A Lot. All of these programs greatly expand the functionality of the Cricut cutter, and in my opinion, are great products.

I was not initially interested in buying a Cricut, Ever cheap, I simply could not justify the cost of the machine and the cartridges as a legitimate scrapbooking expense. What changed my mind was watching Shell cut from her Cricut using Sure Cuts A Lot software. In my mind, that made the Cricut a much more practical investment. Having a program like SCAL means you are free to cut virtually any font you can install on your computer, plus any SVG cut you can download. Add that to the library of images available on cartridge for the Cricut, and suddenly the Cricut becomes one of the most versatile tools a scrapper can have.

I can't imagine I am the only scrapper who purchased a Cricut because of the flexibility programs like MTC, SCAL, and Fairy Cut allow. For Provo Craft to challenge the right of these third party software manufacturers to link products to the Cricut was a terrible mistake, in my opinion.

In forums all over the web, I have seen loads and loads of angry responses to Provo Craft's legal strategy. What Provo Craft looses in the way of brand loyalty and satisfaction outstrips the benefit of having total control of the Cricut. The recent announcement that Cricut Craft Room- the new PC design program-might at some point allow some crafters to cut their own images (I'm assuming SVG's) on the Cricut only serves to muddy the waters, and instead of placating those upset over the lawsuits, brings up more questions about PC's motivation.

So, am I dumping my Cricut? Heck no. As far as I can tell SCAL (the program I use) is still in the clear, and even if they end up going the route of MTC, as long as I don't update, I should be fine. There are many other intersting diecutters on the market, but I have invested in the Cricut, and I honestly really like the option of using cartridge cuts as well. I have been very happy with the selection of content on cartridges, and they couldn't be much simpler to use. Some people complain about customer service, and while I agree that the website is not very user-friendly, my experience with PC has been positive.

However, when/if I am in the market for a new machine, I will certainly look into other cutters. Particularly if PC phases out old-Expression compatible cartridges, or hikes the price on cartridges (as some rumors circulating claim), the Cricut will become a much less palatable choice.

What I find particularly upsetting in all of this stems from the tone of the exchanges between Cricut supporters and MTC supporters. I hate to see the level of negativity this issue has stirred up in the scrapping community. Scrapbookers I have interacted with have generally been a convivial and considerate lot, and I hate to see something as trivial (in the long run) as the diecutter and cutting software someone prefers to use causing such a rift in the community.