If you need a downsave for embroidery software or whatever as above, that's cool, but do the downsaving in house don't make the customer do it.
I didn't say I made the client down save to an EPS 3 file. I just said that EPS 3 files work the best for auto digitizing, due to they are simple files, don't support gradients and clipping masks. You can do gradients in embroidery, but that has to be mapped and done manually, not rendered by the computer automatically.
The bit about my saying that my customers don't know how to save in a legacy format even if they have the ability to do so, is more of a reason of not having to deal with the customer to do it on their own.
Several reasons why I believe upgrading should be down on a semi-frequent basis.
1. Make it easier to accept customer files
2. Be able to take advantage of the more current computer hardware.
3. There are actually improvements that are done, it really just depends on if they affect your production or not.
4. Able to spread out the cost. If I had waited to upgrade in a similar fashion like the CS to CS5 example, that would be 14 grand. If I upgrade every 2 generations, that's just 2 grand. I bet that 2,500 or so for the entire Master Suite sounds pretty good to y'all right about now.