BEIGE  While I agree that 64-bit support is badly needed (I'm looking at my current scene teetering close to 2.2GB of memory, Maya is still far more powerful than Cinema 4D, even with VRay. I need a good particle system, high-end plug-in support and paint effects, etc. This release is a joke though - it's literally a repackaging of Maya 2009 with the Toxik compositor and a matchmover thrown in the box. None of the Mental Ray bugs are fixed and it's 32-bit. A great program but a hugely disappointing release.  
(Version 2010)

GIANCA  Maya for OSX 64bit is coming, but just after snow leopard is released.

Can't pretend a developer to develop a 64bit application when the framework is not there yet... and mental ray has already been 64bit since at least a year.  
(Version 2010)

ANONYMOUS  I agree, 3d Schools are way too expensive.

There are many help tutorials out there from 3d animators for 3d animators. Ask them questions and most of them are more than happy to help you.  
(Version 6.0.1)

ANONYMOUS  Actually there are great schools out there. Just that they make up about 10 % of the 3D schools so finding the right ones are hard. I am a professional animator and my school was useless excpet for the internship that I got that got my foot in the door. (I would pay the $34,000 all over again just for that as I see how very very hard it is to get in the door.)

Animation Mentor is a A+++ school and am thinking about going just for the way advanced teaching by some of the industry greats. Don't learn in isolation. Worse thing to do as an aniamtor.

My two cents.  
(Version 7.0)