You're right. Carrara is totally dead and has been dead for years. There will be no further development. But don't try saying that on the Carrara board over at the Daz site. Everyone there is in a very deep denial. They all think a new version is just around the corner and that Daz is hard at work on it right now. Forget the fact that they've been saying that for the for about four years and there hasn't been a new version in more than seven years. As for the price you quoted for LightWave, $695 is a bargain. At the hight of its popularity it was nearly $2000 and at the same time it was Carrara Pro that cost $600. Now I think they practically give Carrara away over at the Daz store. How things have changed.