NEW YORK, April 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK) today will address more than 60 institutional investors at the company's annual Investor Day, during which Autodesk will outline its business strategy for 2001 and beyond. Autodesk will also announce plans to launch a new subscription-based software delivery service that will make it easier for customers to receive new software solutions and enhancements.

/Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000518/SFTH083LOGO

Investor Day Highlights

Autodesk executives' remarks today will focus on the company's efforts to leverage digital design data to improve customers' business processes by combining the power of the desktop with the power of the Internet. Autodesk's industry-focused design solutions go beyond design creation to connect project teams and move design data across customers' value chains. In addition, Autodesk will outline its strategies to improve existing design solutions, grow its new Autodesk Location Services division, and leverage new software delivery options.

During the conference, Autodesk executives will discuss:

• Process-centric technology architectures for new products including Autodesk Streamline, Autodesk Architectural Studio and Autodesk LocationLogic.

• Continuing customer demand for Autodesk's productivity enhancing solutions, despite uncertain economic conditions.

• A focus on helping customers not only to create, but also to manage and use design data.

• A sales strategy that adds direct global and major account sales and e-commerce to Autodesk's powerful reseller network.

• A move toward new software delivery services that include subscription, hosting and rental.

A live web-cast of the Investor Day remarks will begin at 9:00 AM EDT and will be available at http://www.autodesk.com/investor. The event will be archived and available until May 15, 2000.

The New Autodesk Subscription Program

The new Autodesk Subscription Program gives customers quick-and-easy access to the latest Autodesk(R) software and automatic access to modular enhancements, also known as extensions. The program includes access to e-Learning modules that make it easier for customers to learn and effectively use the extensions. Customers and IT managers will be able to simply manage subscriptions using a lifetime single user number on the Autodesk Point A design portal. Online technical support will be available as an option.

Autodesk developed its new subscription program in response to customer demand for a simpler way to receive Autodesk software and support. Subscriptions provide an alternative to occasional upgrading, which often results in significant downtime and a steep learning curve.

Jeffrey Tarter, publisher of Soft letter, a leading software industry newsletter, is one of several analysts who endorse the software-by-subscription model. "The Internet has made traditional disk-based upgrades an anachronism," he says. "Shipping a brand-new version every two years is inefficient for both users and publishers, and it virtually guarantees compatibility problems and support headaches. I believe software will ultimately turn into a service, as dependable and hassle-free as telephone networks, and Autodesk is doing a great job delivering on that vision."

The Autodesk Subscription Program provides significant benefits for Autodesk and its channel partners. Because customers will sign up for the program on an annual basis, revenue will become more consistent and predictable. Customer adoption should increase, as new technology will be delivered over time, through modular extensions that are completely compatible with existing programs and easier to implement and learn. By providing a single point of access through the Autodesk Point A portal, Autodesk also expects to forge closer relationships with customers.

The Autodesk Subscription Program will be available through all Autodesk sales channels and for most Autodesk design solutions. The program will be implemented in phases, beginning with the Americas in the summer of 2001. Subscriptions will become available in Europe at the end of the year and in Asia Pacific early in 2002.

About Autodesk

Autodesk is the world's leading design software and digital content company for architectural design and land development, manufacturing, utilities, telecommunications, and media and entertainment. Founded in 1982, Autodesk provides design software, Internet portal services, wireless development platforms and point-of-location applications that empower more than four million customers in over 150 countries to drive business and remain competitive. For more information, contact any Authorized Autodesk Reseller, call Autodesk at 800-964-6432, or visit www.autodesk.com. Discreet(TM) product information is available at 800-869-3504 or via the Web at www.discreet.com.

SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.

CONTACT: media, Mark Richardson, 415-507-6215, or mark.richardson@autodesk.com, or investors, Misty Ohmart, 415-507-6208, or misty.ohmart@autodesk.com, both of Autodesk ,Inc./