It is slightly strange, considering he also has a copy of maya... sounds like a really rich kid to me. Still, let's not let fly with accusations of piracy and so on, we have no proof.
Me scowls, and puts more cash into his lightwave/beer fund
Amusingly I'm not doing well at saving to buy lightwave. Being a student will get me the academic version, but it also means drinking lots of beer, which means less money. It's a catch 22.
But, as for your problems and questions, personally I would take to heart the advice you have been given about rendering alpha's in your modelling program, simply because it's so much easier, hassle free and acurate. It's one of the most useful things to learn how to do. Err... Avatar this is.
~A~
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"How can I make it go faster?" -Me-