ECONOMICS

Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today shipped AutoCAD(R) 2005 and AutoCAD LT(R) 2005 software, its latest CAD products optimized to help save time and money throughout the entire project lifecycle by adding features that improve efficiencies for drafting and design professionals. Over 1,200 beta customers around the world have tested and endorsed the newest AutoCAD software for its ability to help them better create, manage and share complex data and design information more easily. Added features to manage and publish sheet sets and communicate project information for markup and review also enable customers worldwide to improve their on-time, on-budget project delivery. "We have already improved the speed and efficiency in organizing our project drawings by using the Sheet Set Manager feature in the newest version of AutoCAD," said Robert Pappas, project manager at Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, in Norfolk, VA. "By keeping all our drawings in one location and automating the title block, the Sheet Set Manager provides us with a consistent set of drawings that can be shared among our consultants through DWF." AutoCAD 2005 AutoCAD is the world's leading customizable and extendable CAD software for 2D drafting, design, and basic 3D visualization. The new version enables customers to further increase the efficiency of otherwise tedious tasks. Core new features include: Create and Manage Design Information -- Coordinated Set of Drawings -- The Sheet Set Manager allows users to efficiently create, manage, and share entire sets of related drawings from a single location. -- Drawing and Creating Tables -- Data Tables can be instantly created with a single command and easily modified as needed. -- Annotated Drawings -- An updated field command simplifies the task of creating, placing, and editing text throughout the sheet sets. Updates are now automatic to contribute to data accuracy. Manage and Share Design Data Among Team Members -- Publishing Sheet Sets -- Users can easily plot and print a complete set of drawings or publish them to a DWF(TM) file with ease and without any interruption to design work in the AutoCAD program. -- Integrated Design Review -- Customers can review and mark up the drawings electronically with Autodesk(R) DWF(TM) Composer, an advanced collaboration tool sold separately, which integrates the comments back into AutoCAD 2005 to complete the design review process. Customers can also use Autodesk(R) DWF(TM) Viewer, a free, lightweight application that allows anyone on the project team to easily view and print DWF drawings. AutoCAD LT 2005 Developed for design professionals in all industries who require a 2D drafting and detailing tool with full DWG file format capability but do not have the need for customization, AutoCAD LT 2005 software is also available today. Features added to the new version enable users to increase their daily productivity by reducing repetitive tasks associated with creating, managing, and sharing data. For more details on the many new features included in AutoCAD LT 2005, please refer to www.autodesk.com/autocadlt. Product Availability and Purchasing Options AutoCAD 2005 and AutoCAD LT 2005 are available today worldwide in International English. The software can be purchased through Autodesk Authorized Resellers (www.autodesk.com/reseller.) The easiest way for customers to keep Autodesk design tools up-to-date is through the Autodesk(R) Subscription Program. AutoCAD 2005 Add-On Applications for Specialized Industries In addition to Autodesk's new products, over 150 applications from over 50 members of the Autodesk Developer Network -- including industry leading applications from COADE, Inc., ARCHIBUS, Inc., CYCO Software, SOFiSTiK AG, Geomap Systems, and C-Plan AG -- will be available to customers.