AutoCAD 2018 Student Version

[Bill Tillman]

Okay, please burn this after reading...or something like that. A client that I no longer work with, and who owes me money, is using no less than 3 copies of the Student Version of AutoCAD 2018 in their business for commercial use. In other words they are in total violation of the Autodesk EULA. My first question is how the heck did they hack the copies so it doesn't print the "EDUCATIONAL VERSION" in the border of all the drawings they are creating? And exactly what repercussions would a freelancer like myself who only worked with these clowns long enough to see they were into more than just cheating on software licenses? I cut my ties with them in January and have been trying to collect my last invoices from them since, unsuccessfully I might add.

Edited April 2, 2020 by Bill Tillman

[steven-g]

In the 2014 version Autodesk started to hide the 'Education' stamp for some reason, and it wasn't brought back into existence untill 2019. Looks like they were aware of this. So no hacking involved.

[Bill Tillman]

Thanks, but those chumps still owe me money. I plan on filing in small claims court once this Coronavirus thingy settles down. If it ever does.

[SLW210]

Stamp or not it is still a violation AFAIK. This may help https://www.vondranlegal.com/autocad-revit-student-software-audit-commercial-purposes

[rkmcswain]

If you're interested.

 

https://www.autodesk.com/genuine/report-piracy

[Dana W]

Please report these turkeys.  It is hard enough for us occasional 1099ers competing with 5 dollar an hour drafting houses outsourced from the Ukraine.  We don't need these people too. 

[BIGAL]

Autodesk will support you they take it very seriously I can not go into it but I know of a company buy 6 copies of Autocad at full retail or we will sue you under copyrite law. They were a real big company and needed more seats for a project they had won, the losing company was rumoured as being who dobbed them in.

[steven-g]

Reporting them gets my vote. I work freelance occasionally and so run a licenced copy when you do professional work you should expect to be able to charge professional rates which includes passing on the cost to the client not just for softaware and possibly office space but also for other overheads, if you can't do that you don't deserve to be called professional no matter what the actuall 'standard' of work you produce, this also goes for the cheapskates who try and hire people for this work.

By the way most companies in these far flung corners of the world do actually try to be correct, they work on a lower hourly rate because that is the local standard but they offer real top notch results, and they too deserve a fair chance against losers.

[Dana W]

On 4/4/2020 at 2:13 AM, steven-g said:

By the way most companies in these far flung corners of the world do actually try to be correct, they work on a lower hourly rate because that is the local standard but they offer real top notch results, and they too deserve a fair chance against losers.

I completely agree, but they need to compete in their own market at those rates, not mine.  They need to bid at or near competitive rates if they are good enough. Undercutting my hourly by 20 to 50% is not competing.  The good part of the worst of the low rent drafting houses is that I have been paid a lot to flat out re-draw their work when it is really bad. 

Edited April 9, 2020 by Dana W

[steven-g]

2 hours ago, Dana W said:

I completely agree, but they need to compete in their own market at those rates, not mine.  They need to bid at or near competitive rates if they are good enough. Undercutting my hourly by 20 to 50% is not competing. 

Fair enough. But only if you promise to walk around barefoot and naked.  (perish the thought). Or promise to only buy from local tailors. And probably 99% of your computer was manufactured in some 3rd world sweat shop

[Dana W]

On 4/9/2020 at 2:55 PM, steven-g said:

Fair enough. But only if you promise to walk around barefoot and naked.  (perish the thought). Or promise to only buy from local tailors. And probably 99% of your computer was manufactured in some 3rd world sweat shop

Just don't take away my bacon.