One thing I will add, is that with C4Pro you get Amapi 7.1 which some say is tough to beat. I have never used Amapi more then just experimenting but it does look impressive. The tutorial on how to make a spaceship in about 5 minutes using only a cube primitive and subdivision surfaces is great. As for shade, I never heard of it before I saw the press release. And it does look very good. I have both Carrara 3 and Vue, so I know I will be upgrading both of those. The best thing about Carrara and Vue is the community, I don't know how Shade 7 compares in this respect... Regards, Paul