CompuServe Messages

After this one, I'm going to bow out of this thread before I get trampled to death by an endless stream of developers defending their right to my wallet. Ending third party programs was not my intent when I started this. I'm just going to make a couple last points. <<When we get the developer's kit we can enhance them>> If it takes several months to get out the developers' kit, and it takes several months develop your third party applications, what kind of time frame window should these things work for? You may update them for free, but they don't do me any good unless I can use them. You made mention that the developers of the program have finite resources. Well, if we multiply a number of something like 1800 times a number of something like 250,000, we come up with a number in the neighborhood of 450 million don't we? Now say we take out Carol Bartz and Bob Bennett's salary, there should be a few bucks left for the people who do the work. <<I have been an AutoCAD user for around 10 years. Part of what made that program great is the fact that third parties can take it and customize it>> Greg, I haven't run into an AutoCAD user/owner yet that doesn't agree that that's what has kept AutoCAD's interface so difficult to operate and backwards to work with. <<Other people need different features to do their work. I want more character animation features, you may desire more architectural tools.>> First of all, let's remember, this is an animation package, so I, personally, don't see any reason why animation tools which are built into a program like, let's say, Lightwave, can't be integral parts of 3DStudio. In closing, to those who felt an irresistable urge to flame me, first of all, I pay for my software. I don't receive it for free, and all too often don't receive any discount at all. My intent throughout has been to try to improve the product through constructive criticism. There are far too many who exchange warm fuzzies while kissing up to receive free beta software, while privately probably holding some of the same beliefs.