I had similar experiences.  And that applied to MCAD too, not just general 3D modeling.  That is a complex UI space to manage.<p>The data is complex, there are nearly always multiple interaction modes, selections, etc... going on too.<p>Back when I learned on 8 bit computers, it was kind of easy because they didn&#x27;t do much.  One soon found themselves into the guts of the machine doing assembly language to make any magic happen.  All from books, magazines, peers, etc...<p>Looking at listings was high value.<p>Well, today we&#x27;ve got YouTube and it&#x27;s awesome!  I can watch somebody model, or program, or do both.<p>It is a deep curve, but we&#x27;ve got so much better learning now.  Back when I learned CAD and things like MAYA, I had to do it old school.  Get the book, go.  I had the advantage of some peers who would give me some help, or do a quick tutorial.  Know what?  I videotaped one of those, a little precursor to what we have today.<p>There is a worry I have of hobbling great UI models by over engineering this learning curve bit.  Where we can simplify, we should, but not at the expense of the peak use capability possible by experienced and adept users.<p>MAYA, and many CAD packages are bending that line, and it hurts at times.  People who know their stuff could be sharing it just as much as relearning or working around the changes needed to reduce the need for said sharing.