None of us poor users have any "hard" knowledge, but then we do lots of guesswork instead. Some of this guessing can be quite fascinating. IMHO, the Poser idea is decades ahead of its time, and it IS the future, no matter what particular app may express it. Why? Well... Poser may not get to version 6, but unless DAZ goes out of business, there will be a DAZ Studio sooner or later - they need SOME Poser-like application for people to use the stuff they make for a living ;o) More generally, the trend in 3D stills and movies seems to be towards more use of pre-made content from many different sources (unless you're ILM and can afford the time and talent to make everything from scratch). A few key developments that may interest you : o More and more companies on the web sell ready-to-use figures, models, movements, sounds etc. Any app that allows easy integration and use of all this stuff will be attractive. o The "machinima" (www.machinima.com) concept is sort of a "real-time Poser" method of making movies using the pre-built figures, sets and moves in a games engine, and "filming" while you go through the game. More and more games producers include machinima-oriented tools. o In the latest issue of 3DWorld (www.3dworldmag.com), Michael Besner of Kaydara (www.kaydara.com) prophesies that the next big development challenge and opportunity for 3D app makers will be to "drastically simplifying the 3D tools without sacrificing the control or quality of animation [...] to develop tools that will compel artists and hobbyists to use 3D in everyday storytelling". That's sorta what Poser and DAZ has been doing for all of us here at R'osity for years ;o) o Steve Cooper (formerly) who's one of the key people behind Poser actually pointed out this tendency when Poser 5 came out (check the manual's "Message from Steve Cooper"). o In the same issue, industry legend Alvy Ray Smith (www.alvyray.com) prophesies that "images [...] will be streaming out of computers in real time soon. [...] I suspect the artist's job will be more aabout editing the flow." The Poser idea is precisely to provide an app that integrates and simplifies the tech stuff, allowing the creator to concentrate on ... well, creation ;o) The diehard do-it-all-yourself-from-scratch guys are dinosaurs already. Just lean back and let the future hit'em. Will that future will be called "Poser" or something else? Well, frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a damn ;o)