For years I used Paint Shop Pro exclusively. It got to the point that I was bored with it because I could pretty much figure out how to duplicate most everything I set out to. Last year I decided to look up a program called "Poser" that someone had mentioned to me back in 2000. It was kind of pricey and I had cut my work hours to part time due to health reasons and couldn't afford the expense. I came into some money through an inheritance last year and decided to use some of it to buy Poser. I found it very hard to get started in it. I got the download version and had no clue on how to install it. I found so many downloads at Curious Labs and didn't know where to install them. I called Curious Labs and even the guy I was talking to on the phone didn't have a clue. It took almost 2 hours for him to help me get Poser 5 installed. It was another 6 months before I figured out how to get a whole figure dressed, posed and lite up and rendered. And that was only thanks to the kindness of a poster at Daz who walked me through one in ICQ. I just couldn't get the hang of it on my own. Now, 18 months after buying the program, and 12 months after doing my very first render, I'm working with dynamic clothing, and finding my way (slowly) around the material room, and even doing some major tweaking of poses. Slow compared to so many other uses who seem to just leap right in and figure things out quickly. I've been a member of Renderosity for 3 or 4 years though. I used to know some people who used Poser and they had galleries here and for me to see the images I had to be a member.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi