it's simpler than that Opera..

Google has Google Earth and Sketchup

Microsoft has Microsoft Earth... but no modeler. so they bought Caligari and made trueSpace the modeler for ME.. (they also wanted the truePlace technology...) and like Sketchup (basic) is free... they made trueSpace free.

heres to hoping that this shot across the bows will make Google put out Sketchup Pro for free or a much lower cost....