'nuther thing about software is that by the time you and your employers master it, there's this new version, that they just "HAVE" to have.  Not because it does a better job, but that their clients will be impressed by it.  "Don't go to ABC animation.... they only use Maya 6, we have Maya 8'.  It's like that guitar amp in Spinal Tap that goes up to 11, "It's one more."  Even when you look at movies done in Maya, softimage, and 3Ds, the so-called high end packages, you see a lot of artifacting.  This is why these packages are popular in Sci fi and Fantasy (In space, no one can see your jaggies).

 

In my Artist Bio, when I submit to festivals and distribution, I always mention that I am self taught as no respectible art schools would have anything to do with me.  I take that as a source of pride.  so should anybody else.  You shouldn't have to pay great amounts of cash just to have permission to create what is in your heart, your soul.

but that's just me.