trueSpace is set free

I previously questioned the future of Caligari's trueSpace after the recent buyout from Microsoft but yesterday I received an announcement that trueSpace has been upgraded to 7.6 and is now free to all users.

With this move, Microsoft seems to really be pushing for content to support their Virtual Earth platform. Considering that Caligari's flagship product previously retailed for $595, it appears to be a win for existing users but I wonder how many people will be motivated to support Virtual Earth, trueSpace users or otherwise. Time will tell I guess.