Has anyone heard what the status of the new version 6.0 of Enercalc is? It seems that it has been promised to come out for at least a couple of years now.
We would like to start by wishing all of you a very prosperous 2007. This letter contains a status report for the release of the Structural Engineering Library Version 6. I want to personally apologize for both the delay in its release and the lack of communication since this past year. It has been a long road with a number of bumps and curves to say the least!
I want to state as fact that my team and I are committed to releasing Version 6 as soon as possible. Despite the lack of communication, lack of web site information and delay in release......this product is very real and very, very important to us. Work proceeds on the project every single day.
We don't mention Version 6 on our web site so it does not become a "sales tool" to attract new users. Additional advertising would be improper and only add to the pressure.
What have we done in the last year? Well because it's not finished I sometimes wonder myself! Anything we say will be an excuse and the result is only evident when the product is released. Please accept my explanation that this is a complete rewrite and that has required far more work than we ever imagined.
Prior to writing this email I reviewed our prior update report of December 2005 that is located here:
This is an excellent report and describes the new version very well. Here are the additional items that have taken time:
Changes to all of the internal code to support the NDS-05, AISC 13th Ed., ACI-05, ASCE-05 and IBC 2006. No small task! When Version 6 was first announced we pledged that it would be "according to the latest code".....and all of these codes have been revised since then!
Rewrite of the prior version's calculation program code into a different (more productive) computer language that we now use.
The "CalcTrack" needed to be redesigned to provide better reporting with full formatting and formulas with number substitution.
Development of a better Stress Diagramming System and Column Interaction Diagram graphics systems (for screen and printing).
Development of a better web update system, multi-user security systems (without "dongles"), and network aware configuration settings.
Many delays waiting for consultants to complete their work.
An unprecedented increase in our user base. For whatever reason....and without any advertising....our user base has expanded by 25% in the last 24 months. That equals the total number of sales in the first 15 years of our business! This has generated a tremendous added load on technical staff as we provide initial support to all of those new users….delaying Version 6.
Our competitors have released new products which have been purchased and reviewed for possible added capability.
A couple of personal matters that took me away from work for a while.
We have also been working on.....
A newly designed web site.
A new newsgroup system that will connect ALL users in an online community.
A new user management software with integrated technical support tracking and response management.
Many of you have asked for test copies….and we would very much like to do that. The problem is that it is one large integrated system still under development with all the test code still in place. To remove all that code and package it as a “test” would be quite involved AND have a tremendous effect on the final release date. We are currently looking for a release date of February 26th, 2007, available first as a download with printed CDs and manual to follow.
You are one of our valued users who purchased an upgrade from a prior version. Within that upgrade price was included the Version 6 software system plus one year of support and maintenance after the delivery of the product. We already have a list of items to be added during that first year and intend to be far more dynamic it upgrading Version 6.
It is important that we have your most current contact information. If you have changed your contact information please email to info@enercalc.com (be sure to include your "KW" User Registration Number in your email).
When the new is available we will be relying heavily on the new internet based auto update system. In Version 5.8 we learned that the auto-update system was essential for distributing changes immediately after a problem or improvement was made. This will be especially true in Version 6 and we have a new commercially available product to handle this task.
I can say that after 23 years at Enercalc this upgrade is the most important in our history. I wish we weren't in this situation of long-delayed release and continue to offer my sincere thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
Michael D. Brooks
President
PS: I invite you to send your questions directly to me: MichaelBrooks@enercalc.com.
I recieved a similar email that included videos of the V6.
NOTE! The email from last January was sent again by mistake! Please accept my apologies!Here is the correct one.........
Version 6 is close....but not ready I am sorry to say.
Some of you have been waiting over three years for it.....and those of you who are "new" users have no idea you will be getting a free upgrade.
This email is being sent to slightly over 5,000 ENERCALC users who are waiting for Version 6. There are still another 2,300 users who will be upgrading after its release.
If each user designs four buildings per year worth $1 million that means ENERCALC software designs the bits and pieces in $29.2 billion of construction each year! These numbers are staggering for us.....a small company that has slowly built a reputation for 24 years.
All hands are working hard and the pressure to release a very fine product is tremendous. We have Windows Vista to deal with, several suitors who wish to acquire us and some fatigue setting in after a long programming haul.
I and my staff are dedicated to providing you with a fine product and years of very fine enhancements to follow.
Version 6 has been mostly a mystery to all of you. None of you has actually "seen" Version 6 and that probably has raised many doubts.
To relieve that curiosity I have prepared five videos that take about 90 minutes to view.
It is "casual " set of videos because I personally narrated them off the top of my head. They show a software system not quite finished but substantially complete so that release time is very, very close (they were prepared in May).
Hopefully these videos will encourage you to be patient a little longer and see how serious we are about providing a whole new class of product capabilities. To show everything would have taken hours and hours.....so we touched the highlights.
To request the links to the videos, please email support@enercalc.com and put the word "VIDEO REQUEST" in the subject and place your "KW" registration number in the email so we know who you are. We will SLOWLY send out the links so as not to overload our server.
We welcome your comments of course.....but reading, pondering and responding to those comments will take some time......and time is precious. As our valued user your observations, needs and comments are what make our company continue to prosper.
We know that many of you need IBC 2006 support (now or soon) and rest assured Version 6 is based on 2006 IBC, 2005 ASCE, 2005 ACI, 2005 NDS and 13th Ed. AISC.
ENERCALC will be closed the entire 4th of July week and the Technical Services office will be closed the week after. We will monitor emails though and do our best to respond to your requests and comments.
