I don't know how Poser 4 satisfies the needs of a pro. But as an amateur, with lots of great ideas but admittedly poor artistic skills, Poser 4 is a wonderful program. After hours and hours of work, I have finally created my first character, who looks almost like what I had in my head. I'm thrilled to death. As someone who couldn't even create a decent-looking banner in Paintshop, that I created a person is remarkable. I'm absolutely impressed by the tools that Poser 4 gives me, and how easy they are to use. Easy is a relative term- I'm still on the short end of the learning curve. I choose Poser 4 because reviews said that it's easy to use, but I didn't even imagine it would be this easy. Granted, I couldn't have finished my first project without access to all the free items that others have graciously made available, and I have made more use of internet tutorials than the manual. And in addition to Poser 4, I have bought the Pro Pack, the Vicki and Mike models, and a few items through the marketplace here. So I have maybe about a $600.00 investment this hobby. However, for what I have gotten, I think that it's well worth the $600.00 I've put down. If someone were to offer a brain operation that would turn me into a competent artist, I'd be willing to pay well more than that. It would be nice if it were even less expensive. But I've bought office programs for about the same money, and probably not gotten the same value. Sometimes, quality costs and that's that.