In answer to your first question regarding what's easier, as general rule, the deeper programs (Max/C4D, of the ones you've mentioned) will have steeper learning curves. Poser and Vue are specialty 3D apps. Unlike the others you've recently purchased, you can't model in them (to any significant degree). Obviously you can create with them but you wouldn't use them to build models for instance (other than terrains in Vue). C4D and Max are full featured. You can model, render (texture) and animate. A good question to ask yourself is what you want to do or what your objectives are in 3D. I don't see any real advantage to learning C4D and Max. That's two massive programs to learn that do most of the same things. That's not to suggest that one isn't better suited to some things over the other but that's where deciding your objectives come in. Even if you have the resources to purchase what you like it would probably still be a good idea to have an idea about what is it you want to do with 3D. Others can debate whether or not you have "wasted" any money or not but even if money is not an issue your still talking about a huge time commitment if you really plan to learn all those apps. I would be thinking more in terms of the time you're going to have to put into this since money appears not to be an object. Deep