Free Programs Like Corel Painter

Some time ago I was looking over posts here and a couple of people mentioned how Corel Painter is something they will no longer use or purchase. I have used both programs and at that time thought different, liking both programs using some older versions of Corel Painter 8 and 9. I simply replied to a forum post here that I liked the Corel Painter blender brushes (especially the detailed 3 and 5 brushes, along with their tracker which helped you easily find previous brushes used and the settings applied to them). Well after attempting to buy Painter 2016 I find the program will not install on my computer without an internet connection, something you never had as a requirement in the past to use the software out of the box. They have created nothing but useless situations through their customer support and I have finally given up on them. Someone here posted a remark about them becoming greedy, yet my negative opinion of them is that they have abandoned past users ability to use the program without an internet connection. Art Rage fortunately has not gone down that path. I did have a problem installing the Art Rage 4 version on my older Windows XP computer yet one return helpful guide from the Art Rage support team here helped me around that obstacle. I can use Art Rage freely and independently in the privacy of my home just like one would go about using natural media oil painting or drawings.
I understand that some people prefer using the convenience of the internet yet leaving both options available is definitely a way to provide better options. I personally cannot afford home internet at the present time (also have other reasons for no home internet) and instead would rather spend what little money I do have available on software I can use to create artwork in a digital format. I have a trade off of options which involve a personal value judgment and common sense, yet Corel seems to believe that in the year 2016 you need to spend money on their internet dependent software. Are they at all aware of the additional expense this will cost over a five year period of time. In my personal situation that is an additional $600 per year for internet, of course you can cheaply take chances without proper internet security software and save a little yet past experience has taught me otherwise. So add an additional $2000 to $3000 for using Corel Draw Graphics Suite and Painter over a 5 year period of time. So far as vector art programs are concerned I have instead decided to use Inkscape with the GIMP as an alternative to Corel Draw and Corel Photo Paint.
I can use Art Rage for a reasonable $50 on my 7 year old desktop (used and refurbished through Walmart with Windows 7) that I got this year as a Christmas gift with no hassles or problems. Thank you Art Rage for considering us poorer people that like to spend time creating digital artwork. Again I also have Linux AV, Fedora Design Suite, and Linux Debian installed on this computer. I have successfully been able to use Art Rage 4 on the AV Linux operating system with the help of the Linux WINE application.