Competion is always good for the consumer; I for one hope that there is a Poser 8.  If there isn't one, it is conceivable that some day there will be a new OS that can't run Poser at all anymore and I don't want to give it up. I'd hate to see Daz have the entire market.

Daz/Studio has never failed to dissapoint me in one way or another.  It's library structure is non-intuitive and stinks; and every update has requiered the reinstallion of all plugins--which has been an annoying and lengthy process.  If Poser goes bye-bye though, I am happy there will be figure rendering program available and that the $100s worth of figures and props I've purchased won't go to waste.  I've used other 3D applications and never used any that were easier to use than Poser.

If Poser sales are down it's probably a marketing problem; the program is used my many graphics professionals and I see Poser images everywhere from advertisements to book covers to magazine articles.  Poser is many graphic designer's "dirty little secret" for while 3D purists have always ridiculed it as being an amatuer program.

If people haven't purchased upgrades it's probably due to lack of innovation to improve on it, not because it isn't a valueable tool.  Poser 7 was worth the money for me for the multiple undos alone; the additional content is provided would sell for much more than the retail price of an upgrade if you were add them all up.  If I could get Poser Pro 7 for a $100 upgrade price I'd buy it; but it doesn't offer me enough improvement for me to fork over the $200 price tag.

BTW I have participated in all the surveys that SM released in the past that I was aware of.  So if they were listening there is at least a chance that we'll get some of the improvement's we've wanted.  If a new version is imminent than it would be good for them to at least say so; that would keep their customer's interest.  If they say nothing people might end up forking over a heafty chunk of change to buy he pay for Daz Studio not feeling that Poser has a future; not everyone will be able to afford both.