DS3 runs fine for me with a prehistoric Nvidia GeForce MX 400/32MB. That’s on the same medieval 1GHz Duron (remember those) with 512MB of RAM (remember MB), XP SP2 system that can run Vue 6, and that ran the demo of 3DS Max 2008 with no problems. I realize those aren’t the latest versions, but if even such paltry hardware can run 3D applications that are arguably more heavyweight professionals than DS4, then the requirements for the latter seem a bit strange. I’ll download it if I can for future use, but the future will probably be when the Chelsea Clinton administration fixes the economy.

I’m good with what I have and I really don’t care whether DAZ does Obama, struggling to accommodate people who only want their failure no matter what – of if they do Assad and burn the world down around them. I assume they’ll try to split the difference. The whole Genesis/V5 debacle is really IMO, DS4 vs. P9/2012. If you don’t have one of those, then it’s irrelevant, except as compelling entertainment and study material on internet forum psychology. Some aren’t going to use DS4 because they’re happy with their version of Poser, or because of the interface, or the stability, or the cost, or the hardware, or chronic DDS (DAZ Derangement Syndrome). Pretty much the same can probably be said the other way, though not frequenting the DAZ forums, I don’t know the extent of PDS. The point is that there are (probably not a few) people with DS3 or pre-Poser 9/2012 who until/unless they upgrade will have less and less incentive to fill DAZ’s coffers.

Now, I know, progress progresses, dogs bark and the caravan moves on, yada, yada, but maybe Daz should have thought about a transition strategy/figure rather than cutting the cord so abruptly. Consider that SM can afford to slumber while the Antonia Mafia has provided just such a transition for them with a dual-rigged figure. She doesn’t have the DAZ infrastructure behind her, and DAZ may hope V4 can soldier on for a while but… I can’t help but imagine that there is money that could have been made from the non latest, greatest Poser/DAZ software users, people who want direct import in Vue, older versions of Carrara etc. How much, I don’t know. I suppose the limits of what could be done with the ‘old’ technology were reached with V4 – though the Apollo and Antonia fans would surely disagree. At any rate, a ‘real’ standalone V5 would have been interesting, in an alternate universe sort of way. But the future is here and as to what it will mean, I can only quote Chou En-lai when asked about the historical significance of the French Revolution, "Too soon to tell."

"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance." - H. L. Mencken