CompuServe Thread

OK, Kirk here is my best shot tonight at some of your quetions: 1. The student edition software refers to special editions of Autodesk software, especially AutoCAD that is published and distributed by both ourselves in several instances and in increasing numbers by external publishers. These are most commonly sold at campus computing outlets and bookstores on Community College and University campus. Howard and Smith can let you know about the specific Autodesk student editions that are currently available, and you will want to keep in touch with them as we bring out new editions quite frequently. These cover many different releases R10, R11 and R12 and differnt platforms including DOS, Windows and MAC. 2. Re "certification for teaching", we of course don't do such a thing, would not be our place to do so. However we do have significant amounts of Teacher Training types of workshops that we assist with by training the Teacher Trainers who run these local workshops. If you are interested in more information on this you could contact Milt McGrew at 301-253-1871 or here on CIS at 71141,3377. Milt is the manager of Instructor Development. We are also going to be introducing Instructor Certification this year, but only for our commercial training programs at ATC's initally. This will be a certification program that recognizes those qualified to meet rigorous criteria in technical instruction of Autodesk products. There will be three major areas that will be required for this certification: a) Technical proficiency, measured by scores on the Autodesk Certified Testing program exams b) Instructional skills, measured by external, recognized professional agencies that certify such skills. c) Proof of experiential qualifications. Proof of prior instructor experience in the field and of Autodesk product instruction. 3. You asked "..I have yet to hear from anyone at ADESK about our needs or wants adn I've been at that school for 7 years." Well we certainly don't try to call the thousands of schools and teachers in the US alone, but we DO regularly correspond to this audience and get their input and feedback. This is done through such things as newsletters and publications specifically for our partners in education like "Education by Design", "Learning Curve", through our special Education Issues section here on CompuServe and through hundreds of thousands of mailings and surveys. ALL of these are free to you as an instructor, but you DO need to be on the mailing list and logging on to CompuServe of course!<g> If you would like on the mailing list either send a request for the newsletters to us by mail, FAX (415-491-8337) or of course here on CIS in the Ed Issues section. 4. I am not going to get in to any shoot out contest over who has more "..books, teacher training, job placement…" between ourselves and MicroStation, but things must have certainly changed by several magnitudes of order since the last time I looked if as you state MicroStation has a greater amount of these available. Actually, I think you were most accurate in your wording when you noted (to quote you correctly) "…MicroStation has as many if not more direct supports for this stuff that ADESK." We DO certainly have VERY different models of doing business. We have chosen to go the "open architecture" route in both our software and the way we do ALL our business. We use the so called "virtual corporation" to do all our selling, training and the like. Intergraph has chosen the more traditional, proprietary model of business in these regards and so as you stated they do it all "… directly" Compared on this basis, what does Autodesk offer directly Vs. what does Intergraph offer directly, there is certainly no contest, Intergraph does more, but as you can see it is comparing apples and oranges. Two different models. Obviously each of us believes that our model is the best one and that is why we use it!<g> Yes you can go to "Intergraph Central", and no doubt get some fine training in Huntsville. However, is everyone capable of going to Huntsville? Does Huntsville know what it is like to teach in Anne Arbor? You get the idea. In our opinion, our model is much more adapted to the customers and partners it serves, much more scale able, transferable and sustainable. Ultimately of course it only matters if it works as measured by the customers, so that is why I am here, asking such questions, to be sure ours does! 5. Yes, Intergraph certainly is working hard and we view them as nothing less than a significant and worthy competitor. We take our position in all our markets, especially education, VERY seriously and NEVER for granted and hence all the attention, support and focus we put on it. 6. Re Beta programs for software, yes we certainly do involve a lot of educators in this process, but let me warn you it is NOT for the faint of heart! It is a lot of work, under very strict time lines and would have to be weighed carefully by the individual in terms of the ROI it would provide to them as an instructor or teacher. On the other hand we do offer training for education on and sometimes just before software release so as to provide you with the earliest possible look at the software and help you prepare for the classroom integration. Again, Milt McGrew and your AER, Howard and Smith can help you with this directly. Hope this answers most of your questions, you know where we are if not! wayne