"Not counting BH, I can see and agree with some of his points but to judge the whole apps future or lack of over a couple of figures is a bit silly."

of course its not going to singlehandedly be poser's 'downfall', but it will contribute to it being viewed in an even more unfavorable light. poser should be focusing on getting people to take it more seriously, and thats not going to happen through releasing poser PRO with figures that look like someones first modeling attempt.

there is nothing that SM or any of the previous poser owners can/could have done to immediately elevate poser to a higher standard: it has to be done in small steps, moving in the right direction. updating poser with a modular, modern interface could be one of those steps (for example). the figures were a big step backwards and will just result in even more ridicule of poser. 

im not ripping on poser - quite the opposite. i want poser to gain a little respect in the 3D world. i am criticizing the decisions that the companies at the helm of poser habitually make -- they often seem to be more concerned with quick profits rather than the continued success and reputation of the program.  it doesnt help that until now most companies that had control of poser held onto it only long enough to wring as much profit as they could out of one version, then quickly dump it with little concern for the long-term future of the program.

regardless of how some of you may defend the new figures, it is inarguable that if the people responsible for their creation would have simply spent a little bit more time on them they could have looked far more professional and usable. sadly this same attitude is mirrored in many marketplace products as well.