Quote - Sort of like max, maya, and so on. I've read a whole lot of stories of how students or poor amateurs used pirated versions of software and went on to by it later. That's not the same thing, but it's along similar lines.

A pirated copy of "the big apps" usually hurts the little guys. Anyone using a pirated 3ds max is someone not using a legit copy of Carrara, Truespace, Real3d or Blender, programs that the student could easily afford.