ok, a few email responses, so I will try my best to offer some perspective and logic....
We still have to be tight lipped about future product and features, but like any company Autodesk will often announce news and some details about maybe partnership or arrangements its made with other companies, etc etc. But we still can't be specific about product and exact dates and times about when things may appear. This was the same when owned by Avid, and still the same under Autodesk, nothing has changed. I can't make any comments about any previous announcements about ICE or Moondust as it was codenamed, because that may have been before I joined Softimage.
Regarding Exocortex, I'm not really the best person to ask or comment, but there was a press release about the relationship between them and Softimage, but this was before the Autodesk aqquisition and a lot has happened since then. If you go to their website
http://www.exocortex.com/simulation/slipstreamvx.aspx there is information about their technology and plugin, and Exocortex are still listed as part of the Autodesk Developer Network, as far as I know.
Heli: Regarding a products roadmap, this is information that falls into previous comments about the business rules which we must abide by. We do try and offer as much information as we can though, but still staying within the rules. I don't know who you contacted at Autodesk, be it direct or though a channel partner, but they probably would not of had this information to hand anyway. But if you wanted any information, then contact me privately and I might be able to help you and/or direct your enquiry.
You mentioned SideFX and how they responded and they may have even provided a roadmap, but their situation is different to Autodesks. SideFX is a private company, whereas Autodesk is a public company and so we have different business obligations in some areas.
(btw, I don't want to run down SideFX or Houdini. They are a good company and Houdini is a great package)
On the subject on features though, its hard to give any kind of definate answer, as to why things take longer than others, but I'm sure there's a very good reason why things do or don't happen. Features aren't just plucked out of thin air, they're often driven by customers' needs, large or small. I mentioned in a previous thread that Chinny had come to London to see customers and we saw many studios, of various sizes.
For things like marketing and websites, there's many things going on, and personally I wouldn't get side tracked by the fact that Softimage is not on the front of the Autodesk.com website. In the grand scheme of things, this is a small thing really and I mentioned many other products that also are not on the front page, so it's not as if Softimage is being singled out.
The AREA though, well that's different and many people have many opinions on it, and it has got better. I think its good that there's the survey now for people to respond to, as this shows that we are acknowledging the need for some change, and this is peoples chance to offer some input. Either way any idea or suggestion probably won't stand any chance unless people do the survey.
"Companion software/product", Well I mentioned about this in a previous post. Quite simple and logical really.
Though people mention about 'breathing life into Softimage' as if its a dead product, which personally I really don't understand. The landscape of 3D software is always changing, and I think satyajits post makes some good points relating to this.
Of course no one knows what will happen for a five years...
