Game, set and match

Autodesk reckons it's just like Serena Williams. Dave has his doubts

Happily hyperbolic vendors have long been known to forge slightly ambitious comparisons between themselves and a variety of people, places and concepts. I've struggled to suppress a smirk while listening to excitable execs explain why their firm is sort of a bit like things including the Forth Bridge, Borussia Dortmund Football Club, the city of Barcelona and heroin. (No, really).

So I wasn't shocked to hear CAD vendor Autodesk use its recent partner summit to liken itself to tennis überwoman Serena Williams, after the racket-and-ball star recently appeared at one of its conferences. For some reason.

Unlike Autodesk, Williams has racked up 13 Grand Slam singles titles and has earned more prize money than any other female athlete ever. But according to its sales chief, the vendor's underwhelming performance in the Slams doesn't mean it and the younger Williams sibling aren't peas in a pod.

"She won the French open in 2002 and then she went on to win the next three grand slam events right after that," he said.

Good points, but I'm not still not picking up the niche software vendor undertones.

"Winning once is hard, but repeating that is viewed as a very challenging thing. I wanted to make sure people recognised the fact we are winning and we are getting stronger and more capable."

Oh, I get it. (Sort of). They win, and they just keep on winning. Or something. Actually that sounds more like Charlie Sheen to me, but never mind.