MEL questions...
 

Okay now I've downloaded a couple of free written tutorials for MEL but I want to know.. as a modeler do you need MEL?.. From what I read it seems to be for the programmers and animators mostly... well I'm not going to really think that unless someone here tells me.

Unless you plan on creating custom tools and utilities, you do not need to know how to work with MEL. Most modelers that I know don't bother with learning MEL, because it doesn't really affect their workflow at all.

I'm happy to hear that in a way but once I get to the point where I'm proud of my modeling skills I'll try it out... I'm just going to save it for last.

MEL can actually be surprisingly useful in modelling, at least when it comes to writing tools that help with the process. If you want to learn more about MEL, you can check out The MEL Companion: Maya Scripting for 3D Artists by David Stripinis. I picked up a copy on eBay for $3 (amazing deal for a $50 book, I think). It's really an excellent, well written guide to MEL, and it goes over the applications of MEL to the various aspects of 3D design and production. Hope this helps.