Autodesk Acquires Instructables

Founded in 2006 as a project of Squid Labs, Instructables is a web-based documentation tool and community for design ideas. The site is a repository for everything from DIY home projects to science experiments, art and music.

The platform is ad-supported and requires a Pro membership.

It's free to read and upload projects, but a pro membership will give you access to all steps, PDF downloads, less ads, etc. It's a great way to get started and learn new skills.

The community is very friendly and supportive, though it's not safe for younger kids to browse through without a parent. There are also plenty of tips and warnings about things like smoking, alcohol, and unsafe materials or devices.

Instructables is one of the most popular do-it-yourself websites on the Internet. It features a thriving community of creative makers and provides a forum where users can share their ideas, skills, and discoveries.

There are more than 2 million members and about 50M pageviews per month.

The site's popularity has helped it grow into a multi-million dollar company and has been acquired by Autodesk, maker of design software, in August 2011. This is the third acquisition made by Autodesk this year.

Besides its design tools, Autodesk has a diversified portfolio of businesses. Its hardware and software are used by more than 10 million people around the world. It trains 1.2 million future designer professionals each year.

Instructables is a great place to share projects and get inspired, but parents should check with teachers before allowing students to do the projects. Many of the ideas on Instructables are exciting, but students need to be aware that some are dangerous or require specialized skills, and they should be familiar with the risks involved.