Mathcad 12 1

[AJUK]

As some of you may be aware, version 12 has been released; has anyone upgraded yet and if so, is it worth it?

More importantly, has the activation issue been dropped? There was a lot of talk earlier on this board about this problem.

 

[IRstuff]

Activation is still required, but the issue was not the activation, per se; rather, it was the use of SafeCast CDilla. Not clear what license manager is to be included with v12.

v12 just ended its beta-testing last week, so the software is not yet released.

TTFN

 

[zdas04]

IRstuff,
Did you participate in the beta? I couldn't find anything about it in the Collabratory, I'd like to hear from someone who was in on the test - is it worth the upgrade cost? I've really felt ripped off by a couple of the "new" releases in the last few years and was thinking about not going to 12.

David

 

[IRstuff]

Unless you seriously need a feature that only exists in v12, why upgrade at all?

TTFN

 

[zdas04]

That is a question that I'm finally getting around to asking myself.

David

 

[swertel]

I personally won't be upgrading. I picked up v11, activation issues and all, and don't see any major improvements in v12. Unless they come out with same amazing upgrade offer, v12 will be staying on the store shelves.

--Scott

For some pleasure reading, try FAQ731-376

 

[AJUK]

I have got a reply from my enquiry to the UK distributer and activation is still required for version 12. I will not, therefore, be upgrading. I will continue to use my current version unless they change it and will start my search for alternative software.

Sadly, I don't think there is anything that comes close to Mathcad. Any ideas or do I have to break out the spreadsheet?

 

[Gearhead]

Hi
You could check out TK Solver 5. . The standalone version only requires a serial number intsall. The new report writer works great.

http://www.uts.com

 

[IRstuff]

If it works now, why do you need to change versions or programs at all?

There are some people, by choice or by force, still using much earlier versions such as 6, 7 and 8.

And if there were no CDilla, what would be the objection to activating your software?

TTFN

 

[Bung]

If some sort of "activation" method is needed, why not an option for either software activation or a dongle? I don't like dongles, but I dislike them a lot less than the software activation business.

At least with a dongle I can have two laptops. One in the office and to use in "safe" areas, one for use in the field and that I can afford to drop, have fried by stray nasties in a substation environment, etc but only one licence for Mathcad.

Bung
Life is non-linear...

 

[IRstuff]

The basic Mathcad license allows for a minimum of two installations. AFAIK, there really is no firm limitation, so long as you are the valid owner of the software.

I have version 11 installed on two desktops and one laptop

TTFN

 

[AJUK]

I agree that a dongle is the 'better' way of licensing software, all of my other design software is protected in that way. After all, it seems to be good enough for Autodesk?

C-Dilla, as we all know, is a copy protection measure but as it installs without the users knowledge is classified as spyware

http://www.privacyandspying.com/privacy-c_dilla.html

I am also against activation on principle.

 

[rjw57]

AJUK

I am using v12. See

http://www.mathcad.com/upgrade_center.asp

for a list of the new features. First, I like the fact that its built upon a .net framework for stability and extensibility. The XML, metadata and user defined units are real time savers. You can save files with results because of XML. How many times have you opened a worksheet to wait for results that take forever to calculate? Metadata and the XML format make things easier to find. I usually have to open older worksheets one at a time to find the one I'm looking for. With these new features, explorer searches get much easier. Also, an oft desired feature - secondary y-axis on 2D graph. If any or these sound like something you need, then upgrade. Personally, I think that even the average user should find this upgrade worth the price. I have to admit that some of the previous ones were less than satifactory, but I think this one a winner.

 

[rjw57]

Followup on my last post. Activation is still required and the license manager is FlexLM.

rjw57

 

[dpa]

I doubt that I will upgrade to M12 because of the activation issue. I had a problem with AutoCad 2004 crashing probably 8 to 10 times per hour (due to a video card incompatability). The crashes locked everything up so badly that the only way out was to cut the power. Eventually this degrades the Windows installation to the point where you have to reformat. Now that I have a much more expensive video card the crashes are only a few times per day.

Reinstalling your system might not be so bad if it were possible to ghost your hard drive and reinstall but the protections on Mathcad 11 are so severe that you cannot even ghost back to the same hard drive with the same serial number. That part is ridiculous. After this happened a few times I was accused by one of their tech support people of piracy. That made me furious. I am worried that if I ever install a new motherboard they may refuse to give me an additional authorization code. The other big problem with that is if you are working on a weekend and this happens (which it did once) you may miss a deadline.

There is one possible improvement that might cause me to upgrade to Mathcad 12 and that would be an improvement in accuracy of calculations done using the US system of units. For example on a project I am currently working I did the following calculation. (Rational Method for Stormwater runoff.)

CsubF = 0.69
i = 1.33 in/hr
A = 4.6 acres
CsubO = 0.10
t = 1.5 hours

if you calculate CsubF*i*A*t - CsubO*i*A*t defining the variables using units you get an answer that is 0.8% higher than if you just use the numerical values. The result when done on a handheld calculator is the same as the result if you do not define units. 0.8% may not seem like much but in this case it would result an extra 45 feet of 24 inch diameter N-12 perf pipe and filter fabric. This represents $1,063.00 more for pipe and filter fabric not to mention extra volume of gravel and the cost of additional excavation.

If someone who has Mathcad 12 would try this calc I would appreciate it. If they have corrected the inaccuracies (which by the way are discussed in a couple of places on their web site) I would really like to know if this problem has been fixed.

Thanks,
DPA

 

[dpa]

I wonder how many unemployed KGB and GRU codebreakers are working on defeating this registration system. Maybe we legitimate users are still footing the bill for users in other countries. In which case give us a break.

DPA

 

[dpa]

Boy do I feel dumb. Whatever inaccuracy the postings on Mathcads web site were talking about this one is not it. If you do a unit analysis of the equation Q=CiA and use units of 1 in/hr and 1 acre the result is 1.008 cu ft/sec not 1.000. So disregard my previous. I guess the activation issue will still keep me from buying Mathcad 12 however.

Yours sheepishly,
DPA

 

[Diquan]

dpa (Civil/Environme)--->

If you make the operation on HP48GX the result is 556.552315012_m^3 and the result on MathCAD v11 is 556.550088806035_m^3 which is 0.0003999994% for me is nothing!

 

[Bung]

another gotcha with Mathcad 12 - if your IT systems are still in the dark ages (like mine) and running Windows NT, then you can't use V12.


Bung
Life is non-linear...