Rendering for cheap freeloading couch potatoes: the advice thread

[sprinklefurball]

Just figured I'd open up a thread for help for us who don't have the money to spend on rendering software, but have the time and some of the effort ;) I have downloaded Blender 2.3.6, Daz Studio 2.1, K-3d 0.6.7.0, avimator, makehuman 0.9.1 RC1, aqsis renderer (required for one of these), and python 2.4 and 2.5 (also requirements for some of these.) I have downloaded and tried all of these programs and have yet to figure out what in the hell I am supposed to do with them... I've also considered being even lazier and making some renders from The Sims, The Sims 2 and The Movies. So if it is of any consolation to anyone else who has no money and wants to render I decided to start this thread as a sort of advice thread... Mostly because I have tried to read and figure out how to do this stuff from beginner's manuals on the official websites of these programs and basically, have found nothing of use that I can pay attention to.