M020 release conditions 3

[IFRs]

The link Israelkk posted leads to M011. Anyone know where the M020 patch is located? I am registered on the web site, have used MathCAD for decades and bought my own license for M14 April 2008.

 

[Whiskeytown]

IFRs,
As I mentioned above, apparently, PTC does not offer this if not downloaded before August 1, 2008. Does not matter when you bought it. I do not understand this policy, as in makes no sense for someone who recently purchased, as we did, but did not encounter the bug until after the 'window.' I would say, "Go figure," but somehow that might not work in this case, unless we figure in Excel.

 

[israelkk]

See this

http://www.hearne.com.au/attachments/mathcad_entitlement_notice.pdf

 

[israelkk]

In my previous post I added the link to "MATHCAD 14.0 MAINTENANCE RELEASE M020 ENTITLEMENT NOTICE". In this article the claim the following: "... Our customers' collective investment in a software product results in technology and support improvements for all customers.

Therefore, we provide those improvements to everyone who invests in support. In a change to our previously stated policy, only those customers who are active maintenance-paying customers will be entitled to the latest releases at no additional charge. The current maintenance release, M020, will be made available to Single User customers to download
only through August 1st, 2008....."

First, if they say that customers suggest improvements, this includes ALL CUSTOMERS not only those with paying-maintenance.

Secondly, if they feel that only paying-maintenance customers are entitled to upgrades that include feature improvements. Then they should offer FREE bug fixing (without so called added feature) upgrades. I believe that even for their logic they can not claim that a customer that purchased a legal copy should have to live the rest of the software life with a crippled, bug filled copy.

More than that, I expect a respected company to first invest in bug fixing before offering added features to a new version. PTC is not the only company that follow this road there are more well known companies that do not care to fix bugs but are very quick to add features.

 

[GWK]

I just encountered the print preview problem also. I agree that MathCad is likely on its way out of use. I really liked it. I did try the pdf print solution and it probably represents a suitable workaround. What other software is available that does what MathCad does! Thanks, GWK

 

[Whiskeytown]

I have heard mention of Merlin. So far I have just followed one of the wise suggestions above, which was to not use Print Preview.

 

[GregLocock]

GWK - you might like to look at Euler for numerical analysis, which can hook into Maxima for symbolic stuff.

I agree the mathcad team seem to have lost sight of their customers.

http://mathsrv.ku-eichstaett.de/MGF/homes/grothmann/euler/demos/maxima.html

Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[monkeydog]

Last week I received an upgrade for V14 priced at $99 plus the extension packs thrown in.
At that price, I wonder if V15 is around the corner.

 

[zdas04]

I got the same upgrade notice and figured the same thing. I didn't see anything in V14 that made it worth a penny to me over V13. I definately won't be sending them $99 or any other sum until they make some improvements that have value to me. V13 was a marginal purchase for me (at $99 just before they announced V14), in reality I should have stayed with V11.

David

 

[IRstuff]

I, and many others, still use M11 for everyday work.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[zdas04]

I guess some of us have more money than brains. I wish I had stuck with V11 or at least kept saving worksheets in V11 format. I have such a mess today I can't go back.

David

 

[IRstuff]

Wasn't necessarily brains, on my part, since M12 was such a disaster that I had to keep M11. Additionally, Mathsoft did make that easier by allowing multiple versions to co-exist on the same computer, which was not the case prior to M11.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[SSLA]

Folks:

M030 has been released. I cannot get it because my support has run out. PTC customer support says I can only get M030 if I buy a new maintanenace contract. I don't think I should have to pay for bug fixes. In the past patches were always available for free. I am angry about being forced to pay for bug fixes.

Anyone else with the same problem? Any other solution?

I am switching to Maple 13 but need MathCad to be reliable during the transition.

 

[philipoakley]

SSLA said:
"I am switching to Maple 13 but need MathCad to be reliable during the transition."


What are the relative costs? Are you getting a 'special offer' version of Maple? or just on a 30 day trail at the moment.

It would be interesting to hear of the comparison.

Philip

 

[PNachtwey]

I have given up on Mathcad a long time ago.
I agree with ssla that one should need to pay for bug fixes, only new features.



Delta Computer Systems

http://www.deltamotion.com

 

[SSLA]

PNachtwey:

As an owner of MathCad I got a full licensed copy Maple from MapleSoft for half price.

 

[dbur]

monkeydog (Aerospace)
20 Apr 09 8:49
Last week I received an upgrade for V14 priced at $99 plus the extension packs thrown in.
At that price, I wonder if V15 is around the corner.

--------------------------------

http://www.ptc.com/support/mathcad_licensing.htm

So I have this $99 offer as well (today only). I thought maybe I could get the latest version by just buying this and re-installing it to the computer I now have V14 M011 on.

From a reading of the above URL on licensing it sounds to me like a single user gets to install the SW twice only, re-installing on the same computer as the SW is now on counts as the second install, which then requires a support contract to get customer service to reset. Did I get that right?

Problem is that to get the support access to do this you have to buy it, which looks like it costs ~$850 + $240 to get set up initially. Did I get that right?

That policy made me look for a class action lawsuit to join, but amazingly enough I did not find one.

So here are some questions:

1. If I buy the currently offered $99 update (it seems to come with M020, even though M035 is released) and install it over my existing V14 M011, will it update to M020? Will it really use up my remaining chance to re-install my existing V14?

2. Another option is to download the free demo and install using my purchased license? What version is the demo? Has anyone tried this? I don't want to burn my remaining install to find out.

3. Another option is to discover all my install files so that I can re-install on the same computer without connecting to the PTC server. Does anyone know how to do this?

Thanks.

 

[dbur]

Well, I tried a few things:

2. Another option is to download the free demo and install using my purchased license? What version is the demo? Has anyone tried this? I don't want to burn my remaining install to find out.

The demo is M020.

3. Another option is to discover all my install files so that I can re-install on the same computer without connecting to the PTC server. Does anyone know how to do this?

I found this file:
C:\Program Files\Mathcad\Mathcad 14\licenses\license.dat
It seems to have the right kind of contents. Can I use this to install rather than online? If I can verify I can re-install without incrementing my registration counter I will test #2 and report the results.

Given the Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun support policies I think this is a mandatory thing I must learn to protect my investment, until and if I can get weaned from PTC SW.

 

[IFRs]

Where did you find the 0M20 demo?

 

[dbur]

Here is the 30 day M020 demo:

http://www.ptc.com/appserver/wcms/forms/index.jsp?im_dbkey=41685&icg_dbkey=482

It might be you could try to export your M010 license, install this and then import the license to re-activate it. But I'm not sure. You might invalidate your M010 license and then have to beg PTC to give you a new license to make it work again. They are very trigger happy about expiring your install codes. I bought a brand new copy and the first time I tried to install it says all my installs are used up. It's a multiday process to get a new license out of PTC, with time zone differences, email delays, etc.

PTC is the #1 loser SW vendor on earth.