@smcgathyfay - This would be a good place for you to share what you like best about CorelDraw X8.
@Jules - If you need any help getting back up to speed with CorelDraw, there are a few of use Corel users on there. I’m sure @smcgathyfay uses CorelDraw more frequently than me but I have been using it sporadically since around 1997 and a few times a week for the past 8 years or so.
Thanks! 
I’m watching the vids now…the problem is going to be overcoming the decade of Illustrator keyboard shortcuts that my hands just know now by heart.
(Went through the same thing with Rhino when I tackled it last year - it easily took me a couple of months to de-program completely. It’s hard to switch back and forth between the different drawing software, which is probably why most folks just pick one and get comfortable with it.)
But reviewing the vids prior to jumping back in…they have made a LOT of changes to CorelDraw that I just wasn’t aware of with the X series. If this had been available when I first looked at it, I’d have chosen this over Illustrator. (And hopefully it will be quicker to convert over to it.)
Time to hit the books! 
CorelDraw partners with Universal lasers and that has had a huge influence!
I used illustrator back in the day… late 90s…but am faithful to Corel…lol
If you really want to get back into CorelDraw, it may be best to try to learn the new keyboard shortcuts but I’m pretty sure I remember seeing a way to configure CorelDraw to look and feel more like Illustrator - probably including keyboard shortcuts.
Funny thing is I never really got into the shortcuts fully…I still do alot of old school mouse point and click…but I’m fast at it…
Yeah, me too. I do use a few shortcut keys mostly around alignment. But, for @Jules who uses Illustrator shortcuts, it might be a way to lower the learning curve to switch back.
Spot on. I use all 3 - AI, Corel and Inkscape in that order (with some Sketchup in the mix just because that’s what a friend of mine often sends me for joint projects). I started in the Corel world lo these many years ago but then my kids (2 are graphic artists) lured me to the dark side with AI. It was handy being able to toss AI files around to get something tricky done I couldn’t do on my own. When I started lasering the machines I use have Corel drivers but I keep reverting to AI because I’m current there and Corel is now the one I have to relearn 
Corel does have the advantage of not costing me 250/yr for the software (AI now does what is an effective software rental vs software purchase with AI CC).
I partner with a screen printer. When I need something screen printed or embroidered, I send the job to him. When he needs decals or heat transfers, he sends the job to me. He uses Illustrator on a Mac. I use CorelDraw on a PC. We usually exchange either PDF files or EPS files. In three years, there have only been 2 or 3 times we had trouble working with graphics sent by the other.
I have been looking at CorelDRAW Home & Student Suite X7. It is only $99 right now, but I am worried that the price looks too good to be true for what I might need. I don’t plan to do anything more than basic stuff for the Glowforge. I have read that this version is only 32 bit. Would that only affect computer processing speed or be a show stopper? Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts on using this versus the $499 version? 
That’s about 3 levels above the version that I have on hand - and it does more than I need already.
(So I’d say go for it!) 
If you are not planning to use it for commercial purposes (to make money off the designs you create), Home & Student is probably perfect for you.
Look for the “Compare Versions” link about 2/3 the way down on this page:
I don’t see anything missing that the average hobbyist would need.
Thank you for the timely answer.
This is what I wanted to know. Thank you for the quick response.
After I ordered the home and student version, I found out by talking to a corel representative that the version that I purchased will ONLY work for windows 7 and not 10 (which is what I use).
Bummer. That’s probably why it’s on sale so cheap.
That’s really annoying.
A friend just finally upgraded my gaming rig for me this weekend… from windows 10 to windows 7. Now it works right.
I just didn’t want to mislead anyone who isn’t using windows 7. I got it for a $50 savings, but it was still more than I wanted to pay. I figured “if it is good enough for the LASER LADY”, it was what I was going to use too. 
I’ve used Corel Draw for many years. The Home & Student version is an excellent bargain and is good for most users. However, that version does not allow 3rd party VBA/macros. Again, not a problem for most, but there are some custom applications that require the macro capability. For example, there is a macro that adds “hatch fill”, with the ability to alter the hatching settings. Most of the macros I’ve seen are like this, adding fairly specialized and limited features. 99% of the time, you’ll never miss these features and the lower priced version will work fine.
That is one reason I use the full version. I rely on a collection of 3rd party add-ins for my t-shirt designs. The other reason is that I use it almost exclusively for business and have earned back the purchase price many times over.
Awe shucks…lol