I’m an idiot… I should have checked the program more thoroughly…
Summary
What happened to the optional model downloads? I do not like the fact that we’re forced to be online in order to use the models, as there is no need for it when the file that needs to be downloaded can easily be stored locally. 
It would not be an issue except for the fact that the internet in a lot of western countries is unreliable, particularly in the u.s./australia, as compared to most Eastern nations… plus the pandemic has put a strain on earnings/jobs so in most cases Internet drops in priority. 
EDIT: Oh christ, my apologies, it is indeed not mandatory in the least, as I neglected to go to the prefs via the model management menu…
