First of all...I would like to say thank goodness there is no Mac version of Poser 5. As a Mac user and a Poser addict since version 1, the mere mention of a new version of Poser would have had me signing a check over to CL with the amount blank. I now appreciate the fact of being in the minority and not even being given the opportunity to purchase, or the opportunity to use a program seemingly full of bugs.

Following is a list of reasons I will not be getting Poser 5. I agree that for some it's a worthy investment. For me, it doesn't offer enough to justify the upgrade. In the future I may change my mind (it's happened before). But for the time being, I think I'll sit back and let the other, more capable people, work out the bugs.

That said, I'd like to express my gripes about the program. (Remember, these are comments reflecting the way I USE the program and from what I ascertain from previous messages).

One. Firefly renderer: useless to me, I render in other apps, and even on the rare occasion I do render in Poser, version 4 has suited my needs just fine. I dont see it as obsolete. I ENJOY doing post-production in an image editor. (For me, it seems more personal than having a render of some models other people built and calling it complete). Anyway, from the messages on this forum, Firefly isn't all that better. Its slow and flawed.

Two. The new figures: Limited and ugly. I've spent YEARS making my Poser 4 figures and Mill figures versatile. I'm not in the mood to do it again with Judy and Don. Note, except for face close-ups, I still see the Poser4 figures as the better option for doing images than the Mill figures anyway, they have more to offer clothes and morph-wise. Why would I want to subject myself to even more limited options with the new Poser5 figures at this point.

Three. Face room: Doesn't have much to offer. I have no desire to see myself or any one else I know, as well as celebrities as Poser figures. (I'll just look at a photograph).

Four. Hair: No good if you export to other programs for rendering. At this point I do my own hair in PhotoShop using brushes. When I do use Poser hair, Koz hair works fine as a base to build on.

Five. Speed: Poser 4 is slow enough, nuff said.

Six. The security system: Seems useless and cumbersome. I backup and re-format my system ever six months, think of the headaches. It seems it would be easier to get a cracked version. (Not gonna do it though, for my own principles as well as for reasons 1-5)

Well, that's all I can think of at this time. So as a Mac user, I want to thank CL for NOT giving me an opportunity to be disappointed.

DavidH
Happily waiting to see what Poser 5.1 will offer.