Party Time

On January 16, 1984, Autodesk's sales for the fiscal year which began on February 1, 1983, went over a million dollars.

``This situation absolutely calls for a really futile and stupid gesture to be made on somebody's part.

And we're just the guys to do it.''

Animal House

On Sunday, February 26, 1984, we'll have a party to celebrate this accomplishment. We don't know yet exactly where the party will be held, but it will start in the late afternoon. Plan to be there.

On the scale of the universe, selling a million dollars in a year may not count for much, but on the scale we've been used to it is a major milestone, and provides a good excuse to think about where we've been and where we want and hope to go.

What follows is probably the most disconnected and rambling Information Letter you have received. This IL is not written at a major event in the history of our company, or at a time of serious crisis. There's not a consistent thread to connect the thoughts which follow. This is, however, a time of rapid growth for our company and a time of rapid change in our style of operation. This is, in itself, cause to look at what's really happening.

And you see, our rapid evolution is really the subject of this letter. Our success contains both the seeds of our future success and the potential for our undoing, because as we rapidly expand the company as we must, we unavoidably change the character of the company, and risk destroying the things that have made us a success. I know that in my round the clock bursts of effort, I have not made the time to talk to everybody as much as I should have, so I'm taking this opportunity to let fly with a collection of random thoughts and questions. This is not supposed to replace conversations, just start them going. I am interested in talking with everybody associated with this company about what is going on and how we can best align the company with your goals, so consider this an invitation to corner me and start talking.