BSA/IDC Study Confirms Software Piracy Exceeds Film and Music Piracy

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., July 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, announced it has recovered more than $63 million in North America since its Piracy Prevention Program began in 1989, and $3 million during the last year, from settlements with companies using unauthorized Autodesk(R) software. This announcement coincides with today's release of the First Annual Business Software Alliance (BSA) and International Data Corporation (IDC) Global Software Piracy Study. As a founding member of the BSA, Autodesk educates customers and the general public about software piracy and its damaging effects on the economy and product innovation -- while aggressively seeking legal recourse against copyright infringers.

"We work with our customers to help them employ the latest tools and purchase options to ensure that they are using legally licensed software," said David Crane, director of government affairs and corporate counsel for Autodesk. "Good software management practices can go a long way toward addressing piracy, but we also call on government officials to increase criminal enforcement. Software theft -- and that's what it is -- undermines the economy generally and software innovation in particular."

Software Piracy Greatly Exceeds Film and Music Piracy

The software industry suffers a much greater loss from piracy, compared to other industries. According to the study released today, the worldwide software piracy rate is 36 percent, reflecting a revenue loss to the software industry of more than $28.8 billion. The software piracy rate in the United States alone is 22 percent, representing a $6.5 billion loss of retail sales of PC software revenue. This translates into lost jobs, tax revenue, and product innovation. In comparison, the Motion Picture Association of America estimates that the U.S. motion picture industry loses in excess of $3 billion annually in potential worldwide revenue due to piracy, while the Recording Industry Association of America estimates its losses at $4.2 billion annually.

To find out where legal trade ends and software piracy begins or to anonymously report suspected software theft, visit www.autodesk.com/piracy or call Autodesk's Piracy Prevention Hotline at 1-800-NO-COPIES.

Programs like Autodesk Subscription provide customers with simplified software management and allow customers to stay up to date with the latest versions of Autodesk software, for an annual fee. Customers also receive a broad range of other technology and business benefits, including predictable budgeting. For more information, visit www.autodesk.com/subscription.

About Autodesk

Autodesk is the world's leading design software and digital content company, offering customers progressive business solutions through powerful technology products and services. Autodesk helps customers in the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media, and wireless data services fields increase the value of their digital design data and improve efficiencies across their entire project lifecycle management processes. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

NOTE: Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Contact: Nicole Pack of Autodesk, +1-415-507-6282, or nicole.pack@autodesk.com.

SOURCE  Autodesk, Inc.
    -0-                             07/07/2004
    /CONTACT:  Nicole Pack of Autodesk, +1-415-507-6282, or
nicole.pack@autodesk.com/
    /Web site:  http://www.autodesk.com/
    (ADSK)

CO:  Autodesk, Inc.; Business Software Alliance; International Data
     Corporation
ST:  California
IN:  CPR STW MLM HTS
SU:  SVY

JL-EB 
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7574 07/07/2004 08:30 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com