For several years now Carlson Software has been one of the leading developers on the AutoCAD OEM Engine which is used in all of their StandAlone products such as Carlson Survey, Carlson TakeOff and C&G.  Carlson Software pays AutoDESK a fee to use the CAD engine in these products.  January 29, 2008 the price for Carlson to use that product has gone up substantially and forced the price of those products to subsequently go up as well.  Carlson will continue to develop on that engine for the foreseeable future, but is working to find better alternatives which can be provided at a lower cost and provide the same quality you have come to expect.  Please refer to our on-line product list or call our office for more information on the new prices for these products. 

Official Press Release from Carlson Software:

MAYSVILLE– Carlson Software® has built products that work on top of AutoCAD® and AutoCAD Map® from Autodesk Inc. for 20 years, since 1987.  This software includes Carlson Survey®, Carlson Civil®, Carlson Hydrology® and Carlson Mining®.  For the last 14 years of this 20-year period, Carlson Software was able to provide our customers and dealers the convenience of making a single purchase by bundling our software together with AutoCAD and Map. Autodesk has terminated this bundling option as of February 20, 2008 (Note: sales of bundled products by Carlson will cease on Feb. 15). Thus, Carlson Software returns to its original status of writing add-on software and not selling the Autodesk products directly.

Although we are among the largest of the Independent Software Vendors for Autodesk, we “have been determined not to meet the current Autodesk partnering needs.” We regret this decision by Autodesk, and will do all we can to direct you to other AutoCAD and Map resellers that can provide the platform software and the CAD support.

Carlson will, of course, continue to develop these same products on AutoCAD and Map indefinitely going forward. Our next releases, for Carlson 2009, will include major enhancements as well as support for AutoCAD and AutoCAD Map 2009.

Effective immediately, prices for Carlson Survey 2008 Standalone®, CG Survey 9®, Carlson CSI® and Carlson Site Manager® will be increased.  In addition, Carlson Roads will be discontinued on the AutoCAD engine platform. To continue to provide the highest quality software solutions at appropriate market prices, Carlson Software will be porting these products to other engines, which will be native DWG CAD-based software, and will announce their availability in the near future.

Customers and Dealers are reminded that they can continue to buy bundled copies of AutoCAD and Map with Carlson Software products at the current pricing until February 15, 2008. NOTE: OEM prices increase as of January 29, 2008, as mentioned in the above paragraph.

As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we appreciate your business and the relationships we’ve established over the years with so many of you in the industry.  Carlson Software is fully committed to serving the land market—survey, civil engineering, construction, mining—and is more motivated than ever to providing independent, high-quality product choices.

About Carlson Software: Founded in 1983 by Bruce Carlson, Carlson Software specializes in CAD design software, field data collection, and machine control products for the surveying, civil engineering, construction, and mining industries worldwide, providing one-source technology solutions. Carlson Software is renowned for its strong, personal customer service, continuing to work for its customers after the sale by providing unlimited, free technical support and allowing customers to choose maintenance as needed. Carlson Software is based in Maysville, Ky., with branch offices in Boston, Mass., Atlanta, Ga., Front Royal, Va., and Queensland, Australia.