I didn't mind people didn't take the time to enter the competition, this gave all of us a who did the best chance to win.

Quote - The explanation for lack of videos is simple.  Poser is a great tool for animation,
but it's a well-established fact that only 12 people actually use it for animation.
Thus it's not at all surprising that only 12 videos showed up in the contest.  :)

I do believe your statement may shed some light on why people didn't bother to enter. they completely misunderstood the competition. The only thing you had to do is enter a video in which you say 'I'm a poser', filming yourself. Some did some more effort, but most simply did that.

Quote - Is Poser suffering from big corporate take over?

I don't think that's the problem at all. We're used to poser being taken over by whosoever.   Imo, the loss of interest in Poser has a completely different reason. It's the mediocre new versions being released. I did get Poser 8 for $1.99 though the facebook action. I did get Poser Pro through the competition, that doesn't sound like things a big corporate take over will produce. But in all honesty, if I would not have got this deal and won the prize, I would have never purchased Poser 8 or Pro 2010. There's just not enough in it to validate it as a true new release. Yes, there are some new gimmicks, but substantially there isn't that much new. The wow factor has gone from Poser updates since version 6.

When you have Poser 6 and buy Pro 2010 and skip the ones inbetween it feels like you've bought the next version of Poser. Neither Poser 7, Pro 1, or 2010 feels like a full blown new version, the look like inbetween updates, half done releases, depending on gimmicks rather then earthshakking new stuff.

Poser is in need of something that can take it to the next level. Rendering improvements, new library, a new UI (that isn't that new at all), improved/new rigging, normal mapping and so on, aren't exactly taking poser to the next level, they're just maintenance. IDL is a good new feature, but only one of the very few new additions since Poser 6.

Poser needs something enticing again, something stunning, it lacks that. All the maintenance is needed, but instead of investing time in little gimmicks, they should push poser ahead again. Make it outstanding again, make it a winner again.

Artwork and 3DToons items, create the perfect place for you toon and other figures!

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/index.php?vendor=23722

Due to the childish TOS changes, I'm not allowed to link to my other products outside of Rendo anymore :(

Food for thought.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYZw0dfLmLk