The last Autodesk software I've used was AutoCAD 2000 (released in 1999). And I've not followed them since.

Perhaps they have indeed become "one of the worst corp. in the world of software", but in the early years they were very interesting. The founder of Autodesk, John Walker (he died in 2024) wrote/edited and interesting book on the early years: "The Autodesk File" https://fourmilab.ch/autofile/

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WillAdams a day ago | parent [-]

Yeah, and then ran away to Switzerland rather than work to preserve the democracy which made his fortune possible.

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ruevs 13 hours ago | parent | next [-]

By the way this creation of his, from July 1990: https://www.fourmilab.ch/evilempire/ is very relevant here, but we are getting off-topic :-)

SpeakFreely was his as well - a very early encrypted, VoIP app.

And this: https://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/ ... As I said - an interesting person :-)

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ruevs 20 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Is this critique or praise of his character? ;-)

	▲	WillAdams 20 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Statement of fact with my interpretation --- folks should verify the fact and read what he has written and come to their own conclusions. While I'm grateful Autodesk stepped in and kept TinkerCAD afloat, I'm relieved Sketchbook escaped their clutches, and am glad I never got involved in Fusion 360 so as to suffer from their on-going "rug pulls" --- which of these are a result of his influence, I've not found a need to discern.

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hollerith 20 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

That is more of an indictment of the US than it is of Mr Walker. Maybe I should run away to Switzerland, too.