Altair shows the softer side of capitalism

Dec 8, 2008 | Hot Topics

Last week, Altair Engineering announced that it would offer free training courses andsoftware licenses to displaced engineers in southeast Michigan who want to grow theirCAE expertise to increase their marketability to employers. If the program is successful,it may be...

Autodesk acquires iLogic rules-based design software

Dec 8, 2008 | Hot Topics

All user conference come with a blizzard of press releases, and this one almost got lost:Autodesk has announced its intention to acquire iLogic from Logimetrix, a softwarecompany that is part of Cypher Systems Group, a large Canadian developer of businessprocess...

Autodesk University: 10,000 stories

Dec 7, 2008 | Hot Topics

Autodesk University was, as always, overwhelming. Perhaps nine or ten thousand people at the Las Vegas Venetian Resort’s convention center, attending any one of several dozen sessions going at any one time. I tried to hit as many as sessions possible, but could only...

Quick news roundup: AVEVA has great H1, ESI buys VDOT

Dec 1, 2008 | Hot Topics

I’m off to Autodesk University shortly, so this will be brief; more coming after I’m back. AVEVA announced terrific results for their half-year ended September 30, 2008 — and their shares fell like a stone. The results: revenue increased 32% to £74.8...

Autodesk talks product portfolio changes, credit crunch

Nov 24, 2008 | Hot Topics

Two more interesting bits of information from the Autodesk’s third quarter 2009 earnings call:Carl Bass, CEO, said right up front that the economy is affecting Autodesk’s customers, buthas a plan to help at least North American customers in the short term. Said Bass,...

Autodesk sees tough times ahead

Nov 21, 2008 | Hot Topics

Autodesk reported good results for the quarter ended October 31, 2008 but spoke ofuncertainty ahead. Since the earnings release happened at the same time as the AutodeskManufacturing group’s industry analyst event described below, I was unable to participate inthe...

Digital prototyping, Autodesk style

Nov 21, 2008 | Hot Topics

Autodesk’s Manufacturing group, headed by Buzz Kross, hosted an industry analyst day inLake Oswego, Oregon this week. Kross and his staff presented Autodesk’s “democratizing”vision for the manufacturing space, tying together industrial design, engineering,...

Webinars 101

Nov 11, 2008 | Hot Topics

I get to/choose to attend lots of webinars, seminars hosted on-line to demonstrate technology, inform participants of new releases or teach attendees about a particular subject. Webinars are invariably interesting, but some organizations are FAR better than others at...