To answer your initial question, "Is ther and end to it?", the asnwer is NO. ;-) So don't be lured by all the hype - Poser is all you need (along with many of the wonderful free downloadable P4 items) to learn a LOT and develop your skill. Over time you might add other 3D programs such as Amorphium, Bryce, Vue etc, but you definitely don't NEED them to make great images and have a lot of fun. They just add a little more capability to your modeling and rendering ability. And remember each time you acquire one of those additional apps, there is a steep learning curve and a LOT of frustration involved with mastering each one. Add them to your library one at a time, slowly, and look for discounted (and sometimes free) earlier versions to save money and evaluate before you spend money on something that may not do what you want anyway. Good luck and welcome to our family.