Your opinion is welcome and you are indeed entitled to have one. As are all of us. We make our choices and we live with them.

I don't shop at DAZ unless I have to, and I did indeed skip this update/upgrade. It was my choice because in my opinion, DAZ lied to me. The price was a shock and far more than any point update is worth.

I also think that Carrara is a good product, I use it almost daily for work and play, but I believe it could be so much better. This update doesn't make it that much better for me than 8.1 pro is, so I need it not.

And you are right, we should all be creating and rendering in whatever tools we choose. It's not the tool, it's the talent behind the tool that makes or breaks an image, and in the end I just want to enjoy what I do. Carrara lets me do that, but it's not the only tool I use. I have a box full and none of them are perfect. Each does its own thing well and together they help me create art that I am proud of.

Nice day to you, too, Purplepanther. :)