I have to totally agree with you that the program is just a tool used to get to your objective. I read the odd thread where the person refused to use bitmaps or plugins, insisting the work is 100% vector. I consider these people the hardcore or the maniac fringer, they come with every program I guess, but because of this they just make their work harder and sometimes not as good, but maybe it is just the challange of doing it, who knows. Looking at your work it is easy to see why some people are born to create and some of us are just born to dig ditches. Back to my shovel I guess.