*Howeverrrr..... When I want to achieve top notch results, I keep bumping it's limitations and awkwardness in how it handles a number of things.
I have to go through five tutorials, dozens of posts and a lot of trial and error to get a pretty high end render out of it - with nice lighting and soft shadows and AO etc...

I agree.  I'd like to know why Poser is like this.  I mean Lightwave came with a 5 inch thick manual.  Along with that,  I can go to gnomon workshop,  newtek and cgsociety and get the answers I need, right away.  I don't have to spend days or weeks looking for arcane secrets.

It's almost as if Poser is meant for a select few that Hernandez shared the secrets with.