Solid Edge used to be the front runner in Sheet Metal. But, they haven't done many improvement in that environment lately and the competition has caught up. I've never used Pro/E's sheet metal, though. Solid Edge may still be slightly ahead.
Crashing is universal. Depending on your hardware config and other applications loaded/running, you will or will not crash with each software and each version or service pack of software.
Someone may have given you the wrong impression of "manually updating" in SE and SW. Basically what happens is through the dependencies inherent in 3D parametric modeling, the flat patterns, BOMs, drawing views, etc. recognize that a change has been made to the part. Rather than automatically updating drawing views and BOMs, for example, they are highlighted showing the user that a change has been made to the model. You then choose to update the out-of-date information by clicking one icon. If this wasn't done, then everytime you opened a drawing, you would never have a clue that someone else made a change to the model; print out the drawing; and now it doesn't match the released print in Document Control.
I also have the problem of revising a part but forgetting to make a print of the old revision until I open up the drawing and see the out-of-date stamp. I then print it out, update my views, and have the earlier revision in order to compare and record the changes.
--Scott
For some pleasure reading, try FAQ731-376
