AutoCAD 2013/2014 DWG Format

[#1]

for including my company email address in a publicly exposed list of several hundred emaill addresses sent out acroos the globe inviting people to survey monkey.  Especially since i'm certainly not a 'select user' of that particular product -- never used it, never expressed any interest in it, consider it pretty much useless.  It's nice to know that Autodesk-the-corporation has such respect for customer privacy, and goes to such lengths to protect their customers from spam, NOT.

Why post here you ask?  Since the EULA for 2013 requires all users of the software to grant Autodesk control of their personal information, it seems the best spot.  The 'contact us' link at the top of this page really doesn't seem to have an appropriate communications channel, and I suppose since Autodesk is apparently comfortable exposing my personal data to hundreds if not thousands of people around the planet,, they should welcome public feedback on that action.

[#2]

Amen

[#3]

I really couldn't believe it myself.  I thought there would be minimum standards of being able to use email before you could work for a software company.  It's as if the source had never used email before.

The new account system for Autodesk online user accounts is not much better.  It defaults to your email address and if you choose to use any other name, you can never change it.

[#4]

It's not the first time Autodesk has violated its customers' privacy. Which product survey was this? Care to paste the body of the email here? With anything private removed, of course...

[#5]

Here it is with the sender's name removed:

Hello!

This is a special invitation for selected AutoCAD WS users.  We are developing exciting new features and services, and are looking for motivated users to collaborate with us.  This might include phone interviews, in-person visits, or test-driving new features.

If interested, fill out this quick survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ImpactAutoCAD8

Best Regards,

**** ********

****** product manager, AutoCAD WS

[#6]

FWIW - I received this email blast at a special email account that very few people have, and I've certainly never used it when communicating with Autodesk. Obviously, it was leaked somehow. Now I'm expecting to start receiving tons of junk in that account. Thanks.

[#7]

On behalf of Autodesk, we would like to sincerely apologize for any inadvertent disclosure of your email address. We take our Customers’ privacy very seriously and have taken immediate steps to look into this matter further. We appreciate your bringing this matter to our attention, and apologize again for any inconvenience it may have caused.

[#8]

Thank you Brian.  To be fair, many don't give a second thought to sharing priveledged information in their day-to-day lives so when they go about their jobs don't give it a second thought.  We are all human and make mistakes now and again.

Its probably time for the department responsible to have one of those dreaded administrative meetings to review proper procedures.

[#9]

brian.king:  I appreciate the response.

I've now gotten two sorta-apologies from Autodesk:  One was an email blast from the original sender that couldn't be bothered to even use my name in the salutation, as an apology for an email blast regarding a product I've never used, never downloaded, and have little interest in.  The second is  a forum posting....  While both are noted and appreciated as being a response vs simply burying the complaint, technology is not an excuse to ignore manners or courtesy in customer relations

Grandma Draeger would have sniffed at either response, and immediately handed pen and paper to any in her family who pulled that stunt, and required a personal handwritten note of apology. 

If Autodesk does indeed take cutomer privacy seriously, that would be a good step to help fix the flawed systemic processes that let this happen repeatedly.  And if you're really sincere, include a $10 Amazon gift card with the letter.  This is the third time (at least that I'm aware of) that Adesk has leaked one of my email addresses, and simply 'looking into the matter' does not seem a reasonable response.