You ask alot of questions like"Why do people do this or that?"

The answer is most likely that they can/want to. People want different things. Personally I don't find any enjoyment in seeking a photorealistic result.. If I wanted something to look like a photo I would use a camera, but I do know other people try their best to get a photo realistic image and that's fine. 

Why does any style have to be better than the other? It's all a matter of taste.

I used to feel alot of stress about it all, maybe not hostility, but more a sense of not being bothered anymore.. Especially back when I was a merchant ..

I've had a couple of big breaks of 2years+..  this time when I started again I decided to

1, not be a merchant anymore cause of the stress and the drama..

2, not get involved in the little cliques you find on the poser community...  the whole I'll-comment-and-fave-your images-if-you-do-it-for-me-bollocks...  I promised myself this time around I'm only doing it for me, and only when I want to..

Everytime I've started again I haven't re-downloaded everything I've ever bought.. I only download stuff that I actually have ideas/plans to use in an image.  Having to "get it all back" would feel way too overwhelming I think.. 

Just start small.. and really think about what exactly about it all makes you feel "meh".. and just don't do that anymore ;)

Poser is still a quite nice way to spend an afternoon or two when you're feeling creative :)

I'd just like to add my "Do NOT like!" vote about the blue colour.

It's way too strong and it overtakes the art in the galleries.

A neutral colour like a darkish grey or black would be much much prefered.. Even a de-saturated darker version of this blue would be ok.. but it has to be alot less saturated!

I have an Alienware Aurora desktop (got it mainly for gaming) that I'm currently using Poser on aswell, cause my other pc is acting up..  I doubt it's any better than any other computer with similar specs tho..

And no, I'm thinking you don't "have to" upgrade to pro just cause you're on a 64 system.. your old version will still run, just not at 64.. I think

And as people above me has said, with alienware a big deal of what you pay is just for the name.. I just got mine cause I'm a bit of a computer-bimbo and wanted something decent that I felt I could "trust" being put together properly :P

Oh, and the shiny lights ofc  :P

I just don't get along well with Daz studio. I have tried it, several different version of it, but we just don't get along..  So no.. I'll stick with what I have then

What I buy depends more on what it is and how it looks rather than which figure it's for.

I am quite picky with what I buy usually but if I saw something awesome for V3 or another older figure I can still see myself buying it.

I'm just curious if the Realism=Quality?

Not all of us actually go for the whole "realism look". I do agree tho that the quality of the images in general isn't necessarily that high, but I don't recall it ever being that.

The majority of the people here make images for fun and relaxation, and as far as I can recall that's the way it's always been. I don't necessarily think it's worse now than it was before.

I usually setup character and any props, lighting and render in Poser PP 2010. The rest I do in Photoshop CS, but soon hoping to upgrade to a newer version of photoshop. In Photoshop I use a combination of Mouse and a tablet pen.

I don't do any animation tho

First, I wouldn't really call myself an "artist" nomatter what medium I used..  "Artist" sounds way too pretentious..

And I have to say there are plenty of people who use poser as a "open - load char- render" instant art maker.. Which is unfortunate, but hey, if it makes them happy that's great..

There are also quite alot of very creative people who use poser as something more than that.

As others have said, Poser is a tool.. what you do with it is up to you..

Besides, I've seen plenty of "modelers" who make really poor "artistic" images..and I've seen poser users make amazing stuff..  being a Modeler doesn't automatically make you a better "Artist".. it just makes you a modeler

I've used poser since version 4, and I will keep using poser for a while yet. I did say I wasn't gonna gonna upgrade to the newest version a while back, but when that 40% off offer came a week-ish ago I did actually go for it.. and I quite like 2012 sofar :)

I have tried DS and I just didn't get along with it.. at all..

As others have said, the render time would be the same for any format.

Depending on what kind of render settings you use, and if you intend on using Z depth maps etc, I would probably save as .psd.. that way you get your Z map and layer mask automatically added.  If you don't use those then either png or tiff etc would work just as well..

Thanks alot for the replies!

I am definately gonna check out the priorities thing.. that sounds like it could save my sanity :)

First upload for me..  I should probably have waited for my new lens that I just ordered, but I'm a bit impatient :P

I'm on a vlcd diet atm, so I'm only dreaming on this one :P