Posers functionality comes from the manipulation of various "in program" parameters, sliders, node connections, etc.

User created "presets" cannot be copyrighted because of themselves they have no artistic merit and are intangible.  In order to "see" a pose, shader, light setup etc an image has to be rendered.  When the image is rendered then the image can be copyrighted.  A "preset" satisfies the definition of a process.  If the creator of a process requires legal protection then the process is Patented.  The creator of an in program preset in Poser would not be able to get a Patent because that is already owned by Smith Micro.  In the case of a shader if it is created procedurally solely using the in program functions then it can't be copyrighted, but if external images are pluged into texture slots then the external images may be copyrightable. A vendor who creates "presets" has the right to sell their work because the end result of their work is that a purchaser will beneift from the time saved in not having to do it them selves either due to inabiltiy or lack of understanding of the program or just simply lack of time, but they cannot in the end "own" a preset.

  

@grichter - If the material node setup you are refering to contains only in program node connections and does not reference any external files then there is nothing illegal about disclosing the setup.  If your gut feeling is that by doing so would be wrong somehow then that is a moral/ethical decision.  In that case go with your gut.

I am not a lawyer.

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