http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?id=12022457&siteID=123112 [usa.autodesk.com]



http://pressreleases.autodesk.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=485%3C%2Ftd%3E [pressreleases.autodesk.com]


I guess it's just sidefx and ……. I suppose newtek left.

sorry but it's a joke? I don't get it why?!

no joke… autodesk will dominate all…

Thats game over then for several applications …… Autodesk have now got the market cornered. I hope Houdini does not sell out !

Rob

monopoly - is very bad
No competition. No race. One rule for all. All in one hands. One logo. One stupid line of evolution.

May be all small companies want to be parts of autodesk ?
Just money? One big Microsoft and one big Autodesk. All good. No competition. No alternatives. No progress.

or somebody think what Vista - is a progressive step ? Or maya2009 ?

I've been watching this industry for 10+ years now and Autodesk's consolidations make me uncomfortable to say the least. It's not been my corporate experience that such acquisitions tend to improve their products. Innovative new tools and work flows don't tend to come from monolithic uber corporations. Look at pixologic's Zbrush, likely the most game changing new tool I've seen come into being in my time studying 3D, all from one small innovative guy trying something wholy new and different from what was already out there. No, I can't help but think a consolidation like this is a bad thing for 3D. And I really hope SideFX doesn't fall into the maw of that giant.

well, as someone on odforce noticed, sidefx is private company, so, we're on the safe side :wink:

nimajneb
… It's not been my corporate experience that such acquisitions tend to improve their products. Innovative new tools and work flows don't tend to come from monolithic uber corporations. Look at pixologic's Zbrush, ….

agree, most of the greatest tools comes from 2 guys in a garage

Competiton breeds ingenuity. Autodesk needs to rember that the explosion in 3D is the result of the audience wanting more fantastic, creative visuals. The sky is the limit for the next great VFX(s). As long as our minds' eyes create these great imaginative spectacles, companies will continue to create the tools that make our abilities more advanced and our jobs easier. Embrace companies like Side Effects, but also insist that companies like Autodesk continue to innovate. And never forget that it's all for the end product, never forget it's “show” business.

XSI user here. Make that X-XSI user as soon as I off load my license.

Just want to say that Avid saved their share holders day just to lose their life in the long run. XSI was the last ray of light for them…oh well…share holders don't care.

So now I'm looking around, and the last powerful app not owned by AD is Houdini. Looks like the community, while small, is good so that's a plus too. Privately owned doesn't mean they'll never sell, but it sweetens the deal for me.

Maybe some studios will turn increasingly inward? Maybe it's time for Pixar and ILM to release their tools for sale?

I really feel sorry for the softimage support team- great group now kicked to the curb- and in this economy!

Yeah…I'm not bitter…