Having a proprietary file format would seem to preclude (prevent) users from doing much file hacking. I mean with the text based files in Poser you can add ERC controls to existing models for your own use. How is this going to happen in a 'chunked' format. (at least it looks like it to me) Control of its operating software will also give DAZ the ability to add features that are incompatible with the competition. 'Yes it is a great model but you need DAZ STUDIO 9.4 to use the features' Where have we seen that sort of thing before. Also competition in a field does NOT always result in a good outcome for consumers, especially if the competitors choose not to be fully compatible, and you can see that is NOT happening with DAZ. 1. No support of poser5 in daz studio. 2. Import poser to bryce only through DAZ STUDIO. How long before Bryce will ONLY allow DAZ STUDIO format imports. It will be interesting to see if DAZ makes its file formats available freely to content and utility developers. p.s I have tries DAZ STUDIO Beta. On my system 45 minute load time - 2 hours plus to get the Dragon in, move the mouse, anything up to 10 minutes for the screen to move. Simply not a real application. Maybe on a 2.4 ghz + processor with winxp.