Software with the smallest learning curve for a begginer

Hi, I'm looking for software to start 3D modeling with. This will be my first time doing it, so I'd like something with the easiest learning curve for beginners. I am not looking to highly complex/photo realistic modeling/lighting, but I would like something with support for inverse kinematics, as I'm going to be doing some human models. The human models are going to have cartoon textures, so therefore I'm not going to need high detail (don't need lots of plugins, etc).

I heard that Lightwave is good for beginners despite its ancient GUI, and I also heard that 3DS Max was nice, but some said it was really bloated with plugins that were useful for in special circumstances, but made learning to use it and get around the interface difficult for beginners. I tried Blender and didn't like it so much, its good, but I just didn't like the feel of the interface.

Now, I'm not looking for extremely simple software, I understand that I'm going to need to spend time learning to use the software, but I don't want to spend an inordinate amount of time learning.

I found truespace and cinema 4d to be fairly easy to use. The first is free. Cinema 4d may be available as a trial. Truespace has evolved since I first tried it and it may be more complicated now.

I've found Bryce to be extremely easy for simpler objects, boolean (objects given a + or - value and then mathematically combined - the negative shape being subracted from the positive.) Once you've resized the object and rotated the view a few times the software (or maybe it's just me) begins to get confused and warps your objects according to the viewing angle. but if you want to make some quick parts for a larger object to be put together in another app or skinned (say, in ZBRUSH, fairly ez organic modeling and skinning) then bryce has an intuitive and non-intimidating interface thats great for beginners.

Unfortunately there's a lot to know when it comes to 3d. The better it looks, the harder the software is to learn I guess. I think that if I were an industry professional with much time and money invested in learning one or more of the standards (3ds, Lightwave, Maya etc.) I would probably not like the idea that someone might be able to produce the same quallity, without "paying their dues". So maybe there arent too many programmers interested in "dumbing-down" the processes involved in producing photorealistic 3d content. who knows.

Maybe it can't be dumbed-down. I KNOW the process of creating IK chains could be much friendlier. But texture mapping complex objects, skinning, etc.. I dunno.

I always think of Poser. The damn program has never really worked right. It shouldn't be so complicated to make HAIR, and make it behave like HAIR: sliders for "coarse - fine", "short - long", "straight - wavy - curly" and then a simple zbrush kind of tool for pushing and pulling. no need for "skull caps" or "growing" etc. just put it on the head and make it stay on the head (always affected by gravity at the ends) when the head moves.
Also it would be nice to be able to make changes to a models proportions and then have clothes fit, and collisions register properly (this especially).

anyway hope this helps. And I hope somebody from the poser development team reads this.