what is the difference between autodesk maya and 3ds max?

I use 3ds max for the modelling and animation of the little CG characters that I've put up.
I found it easier to learn and even easier to use.
I can't complain for it's scanline rendering which is Ok to me.
Moreover, my usage of discreet combustion precipitated my use for max, since the integration between both appz is very tight.
I do a lot of digital compositing, keying and tracking, and I find 3ds max scenes working seamlessly in my composites in combustion.
Most of all, it's got the biggest user base.
Tutorials and users are everywhere, so you're not going to have a peculiar problem.
Not to mention Reactor (bundled with 3ds max), which I find very cool for crowd simulation.
Maya is OK.
It's been used for the creation of most stunning vfx shots in movies that have won Oscar awards for Best Visual Effects.
When you look at most of the works that were done using Maya, you'd be tempted to say it's the best 3d app out there.
To me, it was comparatively hard to learn during the while I tried using it and I quickly gave up and continued with 3ds max.

both software are the same, and both can deliver same output, the only thing is the user interface and the workflow are different, modeling and animation or even rendering are the same concept.
modeling nurbs patches and subdivisions are in both software, vray, mentalray scanline are in both software, the well known of those tools and a strong logical workflow it could come with amazing result no matter what software you use.

I think you can do the same work with both of them .
but i think Max is better for architectural works like interior designs and building furniture models and things like that.
Maya is better for character modelling and animation and game production.

This is very strange Question ... there is no difference between these two softwares. The only difference is GUI, rest both of the softwares are capable of doing almost everything which other can do. Though in some parts if you want to use Motion Builder its better you should use Maya rather than Max because the Maya and Motion builder are very similar.

Both software are 3D animation, modeling and rendering software.
You can do the same work but every software has its own specialty in a specific field.
Firstly, Alias|Wavefront was the owner of Maya then Alias purchased it completely from Wavefront, after that Autodesk (owner of 3Ds Max, AutoCAD etc..) purchased it from Alias.
It means that both have some difference so that Autodesk purchased it instead it had 3Ds Max.

max is poly based and maya is node based.

The major difference between the two is that Maya is a 3D modelling application while 3ds Max supports 3d animation as well.