jz some of the 3d soft are full of bug...
and some of their tools are diff
EG:
max is more powerful in poly modelling.. and also max got more plugin than maya

Maya's built in tools are powerful enough already

yup, unlike Lightwave, it depends very much on its plug-ins...

A new app came out:
Modo 201!

This one actually has potential- the former Newtek (Lightwave) emplyoees made this do-it-all 3D software heavily based on painting.
Reminds me of Carrara (or what's left of it anyways), but with MUCH better texturing features.

http://www.luxology.com/modo/

er... i almost forgot this XD
long time din use maya.

hmmm... Lightwave 8 (8.0 - 8.3, I don't know about 8.5) is more buggy than 3Ds Max I guess... 'coz after Lightwave 7.5, the programmers have changed, that's why I kept using Lightwave 7.5...

depend on individu...i start with nswift3D, then a little bit cinema 4D, now i'm using 3D MAX...

Lightwave is recomended if you want something "alive" wit ur 3D production, but to achieve a good quality randering wit Lightwave, you must use Apple G5. This software productivity is only good when it get matching wit Apple hardware.

But for me, I use 3D MAX instead that Lightwave, it easier to produce a 3D modelling and cost-effective. But for professional result of 3D, use Lightwave..

i try maya and max...but i dont compare the 3d thing that i made since the products depend on me, not the software...for me the different between each 3d modelling tools is the workflow...i found out maya interface and tools for modelling is simpler to access that max(that using modifier)...but max is for me since i learn it alot already(dun wan to learn new interface again)...oh yea,3ds max 5 crash alot on my system...