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Lufunofuno12-Amethyst
12-Amethyst
June 29, 2022
Solved

Legacy Mathcad

  • June 29, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 2254 views

Is it still possible to get legacy MathCad anywhere?

Best answer by Werner_E
@Lufunofuno wrote:

I hear you.  I am honestly grasping at straws at this point.  Do you perhaps know who owns the rights to  mathcad now?

 

The software was bought by PTC and so they have the rights. They decided to develop a new version on a more modern code base - good idea, unfortunately very badly implemented and last year they decided to stop selling the legacy version. But of course they still own the rights to legacy Mathcad (except for the symbolic engine muPad).

I was talking of a possible private individual who bought a single user perpetual license (maybe in the days when Mathsoft were the owners of Mathcad) and maybe is willing to it sell along.

But it sure would be not that easy to find that person.

And if, its not clear if selling along the license was allowed by the licensing terms.

And if, its not clear if PTC would feel obliged and willing to create a new license file for you.

 

Therefore, I think that the probability of being able to legally get hold of a working old Mathcad version is very very small.
Maybe @DJNewman  can shed some light on the license conditions and the possibility to generate a new license file in case you manage to acquire an old Mathcad version transferred. But, since he works in marketing, he'll probably wants to persuade you to rent Prime 8 for a year ;-). A perpetual version is not offered and so you would have to pay money year after year just to get access to your own intellectual property.

1 reply

W
Werner_E25-Diamond I
25-Diamond I
June 29, 2022

PTC has stopped selling Mathcad 15.

I'm not sure now if the licensing terms of Mathcad (at the time of sale) allow this, but the only way seems to be if someone who is still the happy owner of a perpetual Mathcad licence sells it on to you.
However, in order to use the software on your computer, a new licence file would still be required and this would have to be generated for you by PTC. Unfortunately, I would not expect this to be a smooth process, if at all.

 

So the short answer to your question is probably "no".

    L
    Lufunofuno12-AmethystAuthor
    12-Amethyst
    June 29, 2022

    I hear you.  I am honestly grasping at straws at this point.  Do you perhaps know who owns the rights to  mathcad now?

     

    W
    Werner_E25-Diamond IAnswer
    25-Diamond I
    June 29, 2022
    @Lufunofuno wrote:

    I hear you.  I am honestly grasping at straws at this point.  Do you perhaps know who owns the rights to  mathcad now?

     

    The software was bought by PTC and so they have the rights. They decided to develop a new version on a more modern code base - good idea, unfortunately very badly implemented and last year they decided to stop selling the legacy version. But of course they still own the rights to legacy Mathcad (except for the symbolic engine muPad).

    I was talking of a possible private individual who bought a single user perpetual license (maybe in the days when Mathsoft were the owners of Mathcad) and maybe is willing to it sell along.

    But it sure would be not that easy to find that person.

    And if, its not clear if selling along the license was allowed by the licensing terms.

    And if, its not clear if PTC would feel obliged and willing to create a new license file for you.

     

    Therefore, I think that the probability of being able to legally get hold of a working old Mathcad version is very very small.
    Maybe @DJNewman  can shed some light on the license conditions and the possibility to generate a new license file in case you manage to acquire an old Mathcad version transferred. But, since he works in marketing, he'll probably wants to persuade you to rent Prime 8 for a year ;-). A perpetual version is not offered and so you would have to pay money year after year just to get access to your own intellectual property.

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