Enercalc 2

[twinnell]

Anyone heard the latest on the release of Enercalc 6?

 

[Lion06]

Below is an email response I received in response to a question regarding the torsional analysis in Enercalc. This email was received on November 11, 2007. I think it is well past "next week" so I guess they fell behind schedule.


Hi XXXXXXX,

I can't comment now because we are trying to get Version 6 out next week.

You can fax in a printout along with your statements and we can look into it in December.

Sincerely,



Michael D. Brooks, P.E., S.E.
ENERCALC, INC.
Web:

http://www.enercalc.com

Note: All information offered is in support of ENERCALC software systems. No information shall be considered as professional consulting related to the providers professional registrations or affiliations.

 

[UcfSE]

I've received similar responses from Mr. Brooks. Version 6 was scheduled for fourth quarter this year but it doesn't look like that will happen.

The good part is in talking to Mr. Brooks, it sounds like we have some good improvements on the way.

 

[Taro]

He sent us an email a week or two ago that said they were starting to send out the new version. They were going to issue updates slowly at first and then ramp up when they found that the installations were going OK.

 

[strucguy]

Seems like they have already started distributing the test verion of the program. See the link below for more details.

http://seaint.blogspot.com/2007/12/enercalc-6_03.html

strucguy

 

[Gumpmaster]

Does anyone have experience with the new Enercalc 6? Impressions?

Does it have an ACI Appendix D module?

 

[archeng59]

we paid for version 6 a long time ago. years. I'm beginning to believe it will never be issued.

 

[H57]

The web page has entirely changed in the last day and it now shows screen shots of v6.0 along with the information of v6.0. I talked them and they stated that people are currently checking it and that it will be released this year.

We'll see, but because of the changes to the web page, I have to believe that it's getting much closer.

 

[jeffandmike]

I think it's best to let the communications from Mr. Brooks speak for themselves:

1. For the longest time their website stated "Version 6 Status - as 16 Aug 2007" and "At this time we are a matter of weeks away." Finally that disappeared when the new website was put online in the past couple weeks or so.

2. In July 2007, emails were sent out to users with links to videos "that highlight the basic components of Version 6". In the same email it states "These videos were created in May of 2007...well before the software was finished." This gave the receiver the impression that the software was finished at that point.

3. In June 2007, emails were sent out to users with the following statements: "Version 6 is close...." and ". . . release time is very, very close . . ."

4. In an email sent out to users in January 2007, it was stated "I want to state as fact that my team and I are committed to releasing Version 6 as soon as possible." Also it stated "We are currently looking for a release date of February 26th, 2007, available first as a download with printed CDs and manual to follow."

5. There used to be a page on their old website (located at

http://enercalc.com/support/v58faq.asp)

that stated that "Version 6 to be released early in 2004".

Here we are in late December 2007, and the package still has not been released. Where I come from, the above statements are called lies.

Can Mr. Brooks be trusted to keep his word . . . or has that question already been answered???

 

[castructuraleng]

If you are unhappy with Enercalc, there are a lot of other packages out there that do the same thing:

Here's a link to a spreadsheet entitled "IBC 2006 &ASCE7-05 edition" that calculates many of the structural provisions of the IBC (and it's free):

http://www.seaoc.org/software/IBC-06-2.zip

Daniel Li has a bunch of spreadsheets that are relatively inexpensive (and you can download nearly fully-functional trials for free) that perform many of the same features:

http://www.engineering-international.com/

StruWare has a few different software packages at relatively inexpensive prices that perform some of the same functions:

http://www.struware.com/products.htm

Ditto that for StruCalc:

http://www.strucalc.com/

 

[castructuraleng]

I forgot to mention a few . . .

RAM Design Toolkit:

http://ramint.com/products/r_design_toolkit.jsp

Beamchek:

http://www.beamchek.com/

 

[DonPhillips]

Wow, that IBC sapreadsheet is awesome. I will use it next week when I review a school.


Don Phillips

http://worthingtonengineering.com

 

[archeng59]

I use struware for wind load calcs. It's easy to use and gives alot of useful info.

 

[BRGENG]

Enercalc 6 has now shipped, still waiting for our copy.

 

[H57]

So has anyone received their updated version of the software?

 

[castructuraleng]

We have not received it, nor have we received any recent emails regarding when we will be receiving it.

The last email we received from the company was on December 1st. In that email it was stated "We will be working extremely hard in the final weeks of 2007 to be sure you receive your Version 6.0 . . ."

Since we started many projects long before 2007 was over and did not want to go back and recalculate things once (when / if) the software arrived, we have already made provisions to use a combination of packages other than Enercalc. We just couldn't wait any longer.

 

[twinnell]

The Enercalc website has been changed to reflect version 6. It is totally revamped. We have not received our copy yet either.

 

[jeffandmike]

That's true, but the new version is not yet available. If you go to "Downloads / Free-Trial Software", (after entering some personal information) you can download a file entitled "ECSEL6_WDEMO.EXE". When you "install" this file, the following message appears:

"We are currently providing our Users with Version 6. When the initial release is complete we will be providing the Evaluation Software. Please check back soon."

Of course, if this "soon" is the same as the other times that it was stated it was coming soon, then we will still be waiting for awhile. We are registered users and received the same email as "castructuraleng" above, but have not yet received the software update.

 

[woodengineer]

Nobody at Enercalc is returning calls.

woodengineer

 

[MDBROOKS]

Gentlemen,

Version 6 is released and users have been being notified for a while. We are sending an email to each user giving them their delivery information. There is nothing available for download on the web site. Each user information is verified before the send....and thousands of users takes a while.

We are swamped beyond recent memory. If you called with a simple "I have not received my notice" message the business office would not have returned your call. If you emailed us with your KW number and user information clarifications they would have been recorded in the database (unless a conflict with existing information existed) and no response given.

If you DID NOT receive your December 1st email please send an email to v6_notices@enercalc.com and give us your "KW" registration number, email address, company name and contact name. We will not respond to that email but will make the database changes if the information matches our records well. If not they will give you a call.

If you contact us and don't leave your "KW" registration number the return call priotity is lower. And of course many times the message is spoken so fast or is garbled we cannot get enough information.

With a new software system users have many questions. They all take time....lots of it....and we are developing a FAQ section on the web site with new additions almost daily.

We thank all of our users for your extreme patience with our very delayed project.


Sincerely,

Michael Brooks

http://www.enercalc.com