VIP Professional Embroidery System Version 6.1 Everything You Could Want! Start Price USD 199.00 Current Price USD 255.00 Time Left - Bid Count 3 Buy It Now Price USD 699.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Sunday, August 31, 2008 End Time Wednesday, September 10, 2008 Location Oak Harbor, WA See more about 'VIP Professional Embroidery System Version 6.1' Description  For those of you who want to play with all the marvelous opportunities software adds to your embroidery machine - but can't justify the $2000 price tag... this is the package for you.  Before I get into the descriptions of the programs included, two warnings:1.   THIS SOFTWARE WILL NOT RUN ON A COMPUTER USING WINDOWS VISTA. DO NOT BID IF YOUR COMPUTER RUNS VISTA!2.   THIS SOFTWARE WILL NOT CONVERT TO BERNINA FORMAT - DO NOT BID IF YOU'RE RUNNING A BERNINA MACHINE.3.   THE DONGLE KEY IS WHAT ALLOWS YOU TO USE THE SOFTWARE.  DO NOT LOSE THE DONGLE OR THE SOFTWARE IS GOOD FOR NOTHING BUT PROTECTING YOUR TABLE FROM COFFEE CUP STAINS. VIKING WILL NOT REPLACE THE DONGLE. 4.   THE SOFTWARE IS OLD ENOUGH THAT YOU WILL NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY FREE UPGRADES.Okay, now on with the show.  You do not need to have a Viking machine to run this software.  Any embroidery machine (except a Bernina) will be able to read the files created with the software because of the file converter included in the package. This is an earlier version of the software that now retails under the Viking or Pfaff name for $2000. I can't promise that is has all the bells and whistles of the new version, but I can promise it will do most anything you can think up. The manuals and tutorials are excellent, and the software is not difficult to learn to use.  The packages included are as follows:1.   STITCH EDITOR PLUS:  allows you to manipulate designs to your hearts content. Add or remove sections, split designs, add Pattern stamps, remove unnecessary thread jumps and color changes, etc.2.   DISK MANAGER:           this is your conversion program allowing you to convert virtually any machine format (except Bernina!) into the format for your machine.3.   CUSTOMIZING PLUS:   this is a great place to start: you can import a file (or files) and add lettering, rotate,  mirror, scale, and generally create all kinds of nifty designs.  Without digitizing a stitch!4.   COLOR PICTURESTITCH: this program allows you to scan in a photograph, and with a few mouse clicks convert it into an embroidery design. I had my doubts about this one, but you can do some pretty                                                   amazing things with this program.5.   CROSS STITCHER:        if you love the look of cross stitch, but no longer have either the patience (or the eye sight!) to work it by hand, you'll love this add-on program.  Convert designs to cross-stitch,                                                       manually or automatically.  If you really want them to look authentic, use aida cloth and two strands of thread...6.   RESIZE PLUS:                this might have been my favorite program just because I always think bigger is better and it was so easy to use.  Resize your designs and the program automatically recalculates the                                                   stitch count to preserve the integrity of the design. You can also change outlined portions of the design and change the fill patterns to one of the dozens of textured fills included.7. DIGITIZING PLUS          yes, it's the most difficult to learn, but it's such fun to create your own embroideries from nothing but an outline.  The tutorials are good, and there are several after-market manuals on                                                   the market that you can purchase (if I still had any, I'd throw them in!) to increase your skills.So there you go.  And yes, this package retailed for $1700 or so back in the ancient days of 2004...Shipping is free within the continental U.S. Place a Bid!