I used COSMOS/M, ANSYS, I-DEAS, FEMAP and NASTRAN. My opinion is the next: COSMOS/M is good, but it is a very simple program. It can solve different problem, but for a big system estimation, this software is not the best. (e.g.: You can not define load cases with different constrain( restrain) conditions. You can modifie only the forces and pressures in this case) ANSYS- My opinion, this software is better, but the view of this software is still DOS. The connection between the PRO-Engineer is good. The automatic mesh is also good. The big advantege of this software the programabilty. (You can write routines, and you can put a buttom on a screen, therfore this software is very fast.) Disadvanteges: Everything base on geometry (very difficult to generate something from the element.) Measuring is very simple, modification is very simple (missing move to etc. command) I-DEAS - the best what I ever used. It has translator for NASTRAN and ANSYS etc. FEMAP - A cheap software with lot of translator. (NASTRAN for WINDOWS is also this) The best if you know the NASTRAN programming language. It has lot of advantage, but one big disadvantage of it the cancel and ok buttons. You need to use always there, therefore this reduces the efficiency. NASTRAN - It is very useful. I used only on UNIX operating system, and it was very good. For linear calculations this is the ace. My list:1. I-DEAS/NASTRAN 2.ANSYS 3.FEMAP/NASTRAN (Nastran for Windows) 4. COSMOS/M