Take-aways from Autodesk Investor Day

I was unable to listen to the entire day, but found the following particularly interesting:- Autodesk is trying to help its channel partners make it to the other end of the recession, inpart by reducing the inventory they have to hold in order to remain authorized....

Autodesk launches displaced worker program

Today Autodesk formally rolls out the Autodesk Assistance Program which offers "free"software licenses, free online training, reduced-cost classroom training and discountedcertification programs for unemployed architects, designers and engineers. The...

Autodesk announces more job cuts and hires new CFO

Autodesk today announced that it has not seen any improvement in global economicconditions and therefore is further reducing its operating expenses. The company plans towring out another $100 million to $150 million, on an annualized basis. Details are still...

Twenty-five years of VAR success

A lot of press releases come in every day and few are all that notable. One of today’s stands out, not for its content so much as for what it represents. Autodesk is holding its annual VAR (value-added reseller) conference this week and issued a...

Autodesk’s plans for Algor shaping up nicely

I recently had a long chat with Autodesk’s Amy Bunszel, product marketing manager inthe Manufacturing Solutions Division(MSD), about the company’s plans for Algor.First of all, all Algor employees will remain in Pittsburgh. Mike Bussler, founder of...

Hits and Misses of 2008

It’s been quite a year — like most, filled with stuff both good and bad. My top 10 happenings, all related to engineering software:1. Hit: The CAE vendor landscape changed dramatically, as ANSYS bought Ansoft andexpanded its applications footprint even...

Autodesk strengthens CAE offering by acquiring ALGOR

Autodesk announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire ALGOR Inc., of Pittsburgh for approximately $34 million, or (by our estimate) slightly more than two times revenue. Autodesk has said all along that it will continue to seek strategic...