Crackdown on illegal software in line with company's aims to slash number of intellectual property rights violations in the country

Dubai, October 20, 2009 - Autodesk, the world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building, and media and entertainment markets, has seized pirated copies of its industry-leading 'AutoCAD 2007' software with a total value of AED 1 million, from an engineering consultancy firm in Abu Dhabi. The piracy raid, which was done alongside the UAE Ministry of Economy and Salem Al Maddfa Advocates & Legal Consultants, is part of the company's campaign to bring down the incidence of intellectual property rights (IPR) violations in the country.

Prior to the raid, Autodesk had profiled the customer and found that around 70 of its employees were utilizing 'AutoCAD 2007' software without legal licenses for the product. Consequently, the manufacturer had sent warning letters and contacted the consultancy firm a number of times to discuss and resolve the matter in a civil manner; however, lack of response from the company prompted Autodesk to take a more drastic action. As a leading design software manufacturer, Autodesk will continue to take a more active role in supporting the UAE Government in implementing IPR and copyright legislations through intensive anti-piracy campaigns and activities.

"The UAE is one of the leaders in the region as far as IPR and copyright legislations are concerned. Our crackdown on illegal software across the country is aimed at putting a stop to these illegal activities that corrode the local industry, which we are working so hard to build and maintain," said Ahmad Al Jassim, Country Sales Manager, Autodesk Middle East. "We have been prompt to action the issue concerning this particular engineering consultancy firm, and we will show no leniency towards resellers dealing with pirated software in the UAE. We applaud the support of the local law enforcement authorities with this raid, and we will proceed by arranging a mutual agreement with the accused involving their purchase of 50 licenses as compensation for their IPR violations."

In addition to protecting software, designs and projects copyrights in the country, Autodesk encourages users to use original applications to help them avoid the risks involved in using pirated software. This includes virus threats, which can damage hardware or cripple networks without the benefit of technical support; and inconsistencies due to missing elements and documentation without warranty protection or upgrade options. Furthermore, pirated software can also drive up IT costs and waste company resources, and may result in civil penalties and/or criminal prosecution.

"It is our belief that in many instances, the unauthorized use of Autodesk software arises from a lack of understanding of the terms and conditions of the license agreement or from insufficient controls to monitor software usage. However, businesses still face important civil and criminal liabilities in the event of an infringement. With this in mind, we are taking the opportunity to urge users into taking action to reduce their business' exposure to potential copyright infringement, as we are fully committed to prosecuting unauthorized use of our products," concluded Ahmed Sanobar, License Compliance Executive, Autodesk Middle East.

Autodesk provides users access to valuable benefits such as software updates and downloads, IT support, learning opportunities, and easy-to-use management tools through the 'Autodesk Subscription' program. This enables access to the 'Subscription Centre', a one-stop shop, password-protected portal that conveniently houses all subscription features, benefits, and information, which can be accessed by multiple members of a team. It also features license management tools, which let contract managers and software coordinators to access contract-related reports, manage users, and update contact information; information on new feature releases; as well as class materials from Autodesk University.

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About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is the world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art digital prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are real. Fortune 1000 companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualise, simulate and analyse real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com

Autodesk and Inventor are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

© 2009 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

© Press Release 2009