I Love Paint Shop Pro and have used it as my primary image package for more than 10 years. I do have PS too, but find there is very little it does that cannot be done in PSP.   In my opinion the only thing PS is better at is promotion.  PSP Is still under $200 and does it all.  

I also far and away prefer CorelDraw to Adobe Illustrator.  Things I can do in one click in CD take several in AI and are far more frustrating.  Adobe also has the irritating habit of moving all the tools around between releases, thus killing the learning curve and the 'getting back to to work' time.  With PSP and CD, it's upgrade and go.

I love Poser, but hate the interface. I'd rather be able to arrange the little menus MY WAY (the tool menu that will only go horizontal. .  and the dials are a wicked pain) but I like the results.  

Vue is becoming my favorite for rendering.  I still have trouble bringing in certain Poser models. (Dynamic cloth is a real painful process), but  the lighting can't be beat.

My 3D life started back in the 90s with RayDream.  

Ok sorry to jump in . . .  I like those filters posted up top there.  Thanks!