"...but still there's a lot of great stuff made with it." I have to agree with you; it's always good to find out as much as you can about any area you are involved in or getting involved in. If I had known that 3D was going to involve so many different programs and cost so much I think I might have picked a different hobby (nay). As they say: once a hobby, now an expensive addiction. You start off with one application and before you know it you have a couple more your working with. I think a great number of us here use several different modeling programs. As a matter of fact NewTek has started a MaYa forum on their website because they said Lightwave isn't the only program their users work with. I agree. "you don't have to necessarily download 70 MB to see what program it is." Ahh, but you do to see what it does! I think it is a great demo. You get to see what other 3D artists are doing. Sit back and watch a large amount of the gallery artwork and some fine animation work for inspiration. If nothing else it's worth the download just for the entertainment value. One of the features I like about 3D world magazine is the included CD which showcases a animation or two someone has done. Everyone of the videos I have viewed has inspired me. Perhaps this is why I choose this as a hobby. I love to see animation. Whether it be mine or others. Enjoy the demo...