Quote -
The only excuse for using limited apps is because you can't/won't use, learn or afford anything better.

Let me pop out a parallel for you, if I may. I'm also going to pretend to be the stylized CGS member...

ahem

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The only excuse for using Windows is because you can't/won't use or learn any better. (Since Linux is free, I took money out of the equation). 

I can make a UNIX box do your laundry if I want to. I can write custom code if needed. I clear six figures a year making various UNIX variants bend to my will**, helping others to do so, and by insuring that people in the professional world get what they want. To me, it's actually fun.

Meanwhile, you Windows users, with your puny little bug-ridden OS, are merely a part of the unwashed masses. You have no fscking idea what a real OS can do, do you?

Oh, you wrote an app? Cool - let's see the code.  Wait! You used Visual Studio and .NET to write that!? Gah! - how pedestrian, and what a limited little hobbyist language! When are you going to learn how to write real code? You'll never be a true programmer until you can cget your code accepted to kernel.org you worthless prole! Go back to code school and get out of my sight!

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** actually, that sentence is true, if you add "Windows" alongside "UNIX". :)

 

The point is, not everyone has the time, desire, or effort to blow our entire lives on doing this art thing. Certainly if my paycheck depended on my modeling/rendering/compositing skills, I'd definitely be all over it and learn more.

OTOH, I chose to focus instead on those things the CGS critters actually use to make their money. My wife demands to be paid attention to at least once a day or so (I know - rude, right?). My dog has to go poop multiple times a day, and a mesh-made poop bag won't pick up the mess (no matter how you subdivide it). My manager would seriously frown on my sculpting edge loops during meetings. The local parish priest has this thing about insisting that no one bring a computer with them to Mass. It's hard to push a grocery cart and balance a laptop at the same time. Waterproof laptops that hold up to a shower aren't really around yet. 

I think y'all know what I'm getting at... it's that 'life' thing that keeps most folks from being this big CG pro. OTOH, in spite of all that, sometimes some folks manage to come up with some rather fantastic shit, even with a limited CG app and no real time to spare.  Curious how that happens, isn't it?