I never noticed any real time difference between filtering or non-filtering.  I've been told filter takes longer, and filter takes shorter time.  I'm far more concerned about how the final image looks, and if a texture is blurred, it's blurred. Period.  If texture goes to the edge of the UV and texture blurring causes it to mess up, it's got to go.  I have NEVER seen any usefulness to it.

Poser 6 worked fine without it.  That is the one thing in Poser 7 I WISH I could turn off globally.

I cannot save the world. Only my little piece of it. If we all act together, we can save the world.--Nelson Mandela
An  inconsistent hobgoblin is the fool of little minds
Taking "Just do it" to a whole new level!