Pjo, you cannot possibly compare Bryce with Maya or Poser, first of all. Bryce is in a class of its own and the only thing that comes close to this section of the cg world is perhaps Vue D'Esprit. To answer your other question, whether it is worth to start with Bryce given the fact that Corel hasn't really come up with an update to the software, the answer is yes. First of all, there is a buzz about Bryce 6 or Bryce Pro that has been hanging around in the air for the better part of the last two months. Corel would not have purchased Bryce if it wasn't a good idea to upgrade and sell it. I don't think any of us can tell you when that's coming out and I'm personally just as weary as you are towards a new version, but at the same time I know it's going to take me at least a couple more years for me to learn this one currently on the shelves. Long story short, yes, the Bryce community is quite vibrant and active, and it is worth the purchase of the software (especially with the prices currently available for B5), as well as starting to learn it. :) Drac