Sadly, a lot of what humans do today is discourteous. 
H.f.m!
1 comparing other applications with DxOPL in order to grasp dxo’s tools is fine.
2 comparing other applications with dxopl in order to see the capabilities and way of it works is fine.
3 comparing toolboxes to see which has the best, the most , the most versatile is also fine IF You Start Your Own Topic For That.
But stay on topic as much as possible, please. We don’t have active mod’s who’s power is deleting posts to clean up.( we can flag and hope it’s reviewed.)
Me personal did often use Silkypix to compare dxo’s tools and for it’s featureset which had some which dxo pl didn’t. Nothing bad about that but if someone asking how dxopl masking works don’t throw the stop using dxopl and use this card. That’s lame and quitermentality.
The person who ask advise can make up his own mind on this matter when he/she is ready to do.
Until then my advise is use your former used application (which you experienced with on a selected set of images and process this image also in dxoPl.
If your pc is able to run both applications at the same time create rawfile_dxo and a rawfile_ former application in different test folders.
Try to sync your actions from one to the other.
Say exposure? Make your best on the one you know how to use and try to equal this in dxopl.
Same with contrast, toning, denosing, global/local masking and so on.
By trying it to make equal you learn the fine tuning and which tool does the same as you are used to use.
After awile you notisch a shifting in quality, or not…
, or meander towards a not yet used tool.
Last tip, use rawfile you can post here so others can help by give it a spin. Ask for thedop file so you can investigate the settings.
(best is to use master and virtual copy’s master is yours VC is the forum answer.)
To master the posibilities of any applications can cost months or even years.
Peter
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