Is Poser dying? for me it is, i have lost interest in 3d, I dont feel like updating or trying other software (Daz Studio... i tried it, i just dont get it, and yes its hard, gave me a headache), Blender, Wings, i gave those a shot too, didnt know what i was doing, heck i dont even know how to use Poser to the fullest... Fitting Room? uh? i dont get it, really... makes me upset, i have spent quite some cash with V4 stuff but thats enough. No more, i give up.

I think you put it well or at least to some degree. People that are interested in doing 3d will not find programs to do so, that are easier to use than Poser and Daz3d when it comes to using and posing characters. I think a lot give Poser a rough feedback, maybe worse than it deserve, but guess thats because they expect it to do more than it can or maybe they would like to do something that it just can. But as you write the alternative is to move to one of the other 3d packages and anyone that have tried one of these will agree that the learning curve, going from Poser/Daz3d to one of these is very steep. Its not a question of, if Poser/Daz3d doesn't cut it, then people will just move to one of these programs, like a switch can be made in a couple of weeks or so, it takes years of practice. And even if we leave those programs out, and people think that Daz3d might be better than poser in some areas, they will run into problems with that as well at some point.

There is a lot of talk about render engines and Iray being better etc etc. But I don't think im mistaken if anyone that make graphic doesn't spend a lot of time in PS afterwards to fix up there images, even if they are rendering in applications like 3ds max, maya etc. And there render engines are much better. Here is an example i did in 3ds max before PS and after.

Before PS:

After PS:

Looking at the actual render its pretty boring and flat. Fixing it up in PS certainly makes it more interesting. Im not a professional 3d artist or anything or claiming the image is extremely good, but simply to show that even if the initial render is not perfect you can do a lot using other programs like PS. I don't expect 3ds max to throw out a perfect looking image, i know I will have to fix it up in PS afterwards anyway.

And think people look at some of the renders other people make and if they can't get the same results straight out of Poser, then it must be because they were rendered in Daz3D, which give them "ammunition" to have a go at Poser and think that is a bit off. Even if Daz3D have a better render than Poser, nothing prevent you for manipulating the final image in PS or Gimp or whatever is preferred, everyone else does it as well. But of course Poser could be better, but again its very good at what it does, working with characters, cloth, posing, user friendly etc. But no one should expect it to throw out fantastic images just by changing some dials in the render settings i think.