Actually Lightwave cost just over $2000.00 and you can get it for less than $2000 at some outlets. 3DSmax cost close to $4000.00 Furthermore, If you wanted to learn programming would you expect to learn it in a couple of days, no! It takes 2 to 4 years to master C++ even after you graduate. The reasons why it takes so long to master Lightwave wave is because they are taking other things into account such as the dynamics of how the program works Lightwave is so much more than modeling and rendering! It allows you to edit every instance of the process in your production.