The kids playing with 3DS Max are getting the educational discount, which I've always thought was a shame. The educational license is only good for a year. Between educational discounts and warez, it's totally unfair to the hobbyist and semi-pro small studio, though they do offer financing for the small studios... if your credit's good.

But it doesn't really matter. You don't really need them with Blender's improvements (have you seen what it can now do?!), and DAZ's and Poser's refinements, there's not much need to have anything from Autodesk.