Autodesk DWF Composer Offers Completely Digital Process to Improve Speed
                       and Efficiency of Design Reviews

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today introduced Autodesk(R) DWF(TM) Composer, an advanced new product that reduces costs, errors and time by establishing a digital process for collaborating on design projects. Autodesk DWF Composer improves productivity by extending collaboration through the design, review, and markup of drawings to the revision of the original CAD files. Autodesk DWF Composer leverages the power of the Autodesk Design Web Format(TM) (DWF(TM)) to quickly and easily share engineering design data, facilitating improved communication with the extended team throughout the design lifecycle. Additionally, Autodesk has enabled redlines and markups made with Autodesk DWF Composer to be integrated back into the recently announced AutoCAD(R) 2005 and the AutoCAD 2005 family of products. This unmatched level of integration completes the design review process and creates a more efficient workflow by allowing project teams and AutoCAD users to better communicate and distribute project information.

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Autodesk DWF Composer was built for design professionals who are part of the design review process and need to contribute feedback, but have no need for typical CAD software. With easy-to-use tools to review, mark up and revise sheet sets, Autodesk DWF Composer provides a better way to communicate changes to the design team and integrate extended team member's updates in the design review process. These team members are often spread across numerous locations, and have traditionally relied on costly and inefficient paper-based review processes or viewing and markup applications not specifically built for sharing design and engineering data. Autodesk DWF Composer offers a superior alternative for design professionals in the building, manufacturing and infrastructure industries who need to collaborate more efficiently and effectively to deliver projects on time and on budget.

"The introduction of Autodesk DWF Composer is a significant step forward in improving the design collaboration process and realizing the value of digital design information throughout the project lifecycle," said Tony Peach, director of DWF strategy for Autodesk. "Now design teams can throw out their red pens and transition from generic applications to one designed specifically for their industry. The result is an improved workflow that offers noticeable business benefits."

Powerful Design Format Improves Communication

As the only viewing and markup application based on the DWF file format, Autodesk DWF Composer is unique in its ability to handle the complex data in drawings, maps and models. DWF files are compact, so they are smaller and faster to transmit than native design files or alternatives such as PDF, placing less demand on system resources. DWF files also maintain intelligent design data, ensuring the user sees the design exactly as it was intended. As a view-, web- and print-ready format, DWF is an easy and cost-effective way to share rich design information with the extended design team. DWF is also integrated into AutoCAD 2005, enabling designers, engineers and their colleagues to quickly and easily communicate design information electronically to anyone needing to view, mark up, review, or print the design information. DWF is rapidly becoming the preferred file format for design professionals as evidenced by the 2,000,000 customers that have already downloaded Autodesk(R) DWF(TM) Viewer, a free lightweight application that enables anyone on the project team to easily view and print DWF drawings.

"Autodesk DWF Composer gives users what they need to share designs across product or project teams," said Tim Hickey, managing editor at market research and technology assessment firm Daratech, Inc. "Marking up and revising drawing sets with DWF Composer and integrating those comments back into AutoCAD enables customers to communicate design information electronically, which is an important factor in streamlining their work processes," he added.

Maximize Productivity of Design Lifecycle

One of the key elements of design lifecycle management is the ability to review drawings and communicate across entire project teams. The traditional process of coordinating the design review process has been difficult, costly and inefficient due to multiple rounds of manual markups and revisions. By leveraging the DWF file format to digitally share design information, Autodesk DWF Composer maximizes the productivity of drafters and design professionals by improving the process by which designs are reviewed and edited. After comments, redlines, and annotations have been added by the extended design team using Autodesk DWF Composer, the DWF files are sent back and opened in AutoCAD 2005 with all the markups and comments intact and overlaid on the original DWG file (AutoCAD software's native file format). Through an intuitive review and approval process, project managers, designers and CAD drafters can navigate systematically from comment to comment across drawing sets, incorporating design comments back into the original design within AutoCAD, ensuring those changes are accurately updated in the original CAD file. The result is an improved workflow that reduces costs, errors and cycle times and completes the design review process.

Product Availability

Autodesk DWF Composer will be available in April from Autodesk resellers, distributors, and retailers and online at the Autodesk store. The suggested retail price Autodesk DWF Composer will be $199.00 and an introductory price of $99.00 will be offered for a limited time following the availability of the product. Customers who are interested in participating in the beta program prior to the general availability of Autodesk DWF Composer can register online at http://betaprograms.autodesk.com/betaweb.htm .

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 http://www.autodesk.com .

Occasionally, Autodesk makes statements regarding planned or future development efforts for our existing or new products and services. These statements are not intended to be a promise or guarantee of future delivery of products, services, or features but merely reflect our current plans, which may change. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect any change in circumstances, after the statements are made.

NOTE: Autodesk, AutoCAD, Design Web Format, and DWF are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and certain other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT: Brian Baker, +1-415-507-6411, or 5brian.baker@autodesk.com.

SOURCE  Autodesk, Inc.
    -0-                             02/25/2004
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CO:  Autodesk, Inc.
ST:  California
IN:  CPR STW MLM
SU:  PDT

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