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CP_49891211-Visitor
1-Visitor
January 25, 2024
Question

Prime compared to earlier Mathcad

  • January 25, 2024
  • 3 replies
  • 1973 views

I have come to Prime after spending many years on first the DOS version of Mathcad and the various iterations up to 14. My initial try has been frustrating...functions moved and hard to find, graphing difficult, generally too different and counterintuitive. What was wrong with the earlier versions? Perhaps I am being a grumpy old man :).

    3 replies

    R
    Raiko17-Peridot
    17-Peridot
    January 25, 2024

    Nothing was wrong with MathCad 15. A bit dated, but delivering nonetheless.

      L
      LucMeekes23-Emerald IV
      23-Emerald IV
      January 25, 2024

      So you've experienced at least three major changes in Mathcad:

      - from DOS to Windows: Graphics

      - Version 6: User interface.

      - Version 14: New symbolic machine.

       

      PTC decided that Mathcad was up for a new look. So they wrote Prime, and, after much complaints on the first version, promised that it would meet the capabilities of Mathcad by version 3, then by version 4, then by version 5, then by version 6...

      We're now at version 9, and Prime offers some features that many wanted for Mathcad. While still not all of Mathcad capabilities are supported by Prime, the list is slowly becoming smaller.

      Every improvement involves a change. The reverse is not necessarily true.

      While I still use Mathcad 11 for most of my serious work, it is possible to get used to the quirks of Prime.

       

      Success!
      Luc

      skunks
      skunks19-Tanzanite
      19-Tanzanite
      January 26, 2024

      Prime is ideal for my technical documentation (example attached),

      I don't need any other program, i.e. no Microsoft products (Word, Excel...).

        R
        Raiko17-Peridot
        17-Peridot
        January 29, 2024

        Here is a counter-example of Mathcad 15.

        Not only does is look neater (see attached image), but I could make the textbox at the end change colours and text if a given threshold was exceeded. This came in very handy when checking long calculation documents.. This isn't possible anymore in MC prime.

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