Autodesk

Autodesk [ ɑ ː ˌ toʊ dɛsk ] is a US-based software company for digital 2D and 3D design.

Products

Autodesk provides software for computer-aided design ( CAD) and computer animation in the following fields here: Architecture, Building and civil engineering, automotive and transportation, mechanics and mechanical engineering, media and entertainment, as well as supply and telecommunications. Customers use Autodesk software to create digital models and workflows for visualization, simulation and analysis of their projects. So they can test their ideas and concepts under realistic conditions and optimize before they are real.

Since 2010, Autodesk, tries to reach the end customer directly, some programs such as SketchBook Professional are also sold via the Mac App Store. The Macintosh is available as a target platform and more interest from Autodesk, since August 2011, a program exclusively for Mac OS X 10.7 is available with Motion FX.

History

Autodesk was founded on April 26, 1982 by John Walker in Sausalito, California and is listed on the American Stock Exchange NASDAQ. Early 1980s were graphics programs available on powerful but expensive UNIX workstations. Autodesk supported from the beginning to the time with only 4.77 MHz IBM PC still weak. There were even UNIX flavors supported, but the main focus was placed on the PC with DOS as the operating system. For Autodesk was ridiculed in the CAD industry in the early years. 1986 John Walker gave the chair to Al Green, but remained on the Board. The first European settlement and software development was established in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel in May 1991. Also in 1991 the German branch was founded in Munich.

April 14, 1992 Carol Bartz was appointed CEO. Under her leadership, the porting and focus on Windows has been consistently promoted and Autodesk became the largest CAD software company in the world. 1994 John Walker left with a share package worth $ 45 million the company.

Was taken on 16 October 1992 with the acquisition of Micro Engineering Solutions (MES ), Michigan, United States entry into the NURBS surface modeling. The development of acquired also with MES CAM technology has been set. With the acquisition of an engineering application for the GENIUS Autocad Software GmbH in Amberg (not by GENIUS ) the field of mechanical engineering was expanded. The most renowned products of Autodesk, the CAD application AutoCAD, the geographic information systems and Topobase Map3D, the parametric 3D design system Autodesk Inventor and 3ds adopted by Kinetix or Discreet Max, a 3D graphics and animation software. Autodesk has companies like Discreet ( professional Video-/Filmbearbeitungsoftware ) and Alias ​​( 3D software ) and since then has been taken over their software, including Combustion and Maya in the area of ​​modeling, animation and film as Autodesk products. Other recent acquisitions are NavisWorks to streamline the creation of digital prototypes in the building, civil and plant engineering, 3D Geo GmbH for the creation of 3D city model solutions and Moldflow for the simulation of plastic injection molding processes in digital prototyping.

In 2005, it was announced that the Swiss company would be taken C-Plan AG, based in Muri bei Bern from Autodesk. The company developed a GIS extension to AutoCAD called Topobase, 1998, the initial installation of the software. With the takeover of the company by Autodesk on 22 August 2006 was the expansion gradually part of AutoCAD Map 3D.

Criticism

Autodesk was sued in 2006 by a U.S. citizen who used but legally obtained products wanted to offer for sale. This was prevented through the Digital Millennium Copyright Act with regard to a corresponding EULA. In principle, any such restrictions on resale in the U.S. is not allowed ( first- sale doctrine ). On 10 September 2010 the court ruled in favor of Autodesk.