Mathcad 8 Professional

Rating:
Summary: I expected more flexibility
Review: Mathsoft's staff has improved the software, compared with version 7, adding some sort of programming facilities, and graphics presentation.

For those who are not familiar with Mathcad, I address some important properties of the software:

1) Direct graphing and formula editing: One can plot graphs and calculate formulas (even non-linear differencial equations, using numerical method), as goes writing in the worksheet.

2) Import data from from several formats and analize them.

3) Plot 2D and 3D graphs. One can rotate 3D graphs with the aid of the mouse.

4) Solve simbolic equations. Solve formulas using either continous or discrete numerical treatement.

5) Make a professional document, with texts wrapping around graphs and pictures.

6) Save documents in HTML format directly.

For those who are already familiar with Mathcad, I address some drawbacks that should be improved:

1) Subscript in formulas: After subscripting, one has to step left , using the arrow key, to continue editing the formula, otherwise the edition will continue in subscript index.

2) Mathsoft should add some sort of compiling capabilities, to the software, so one could run a stand alone version of the worksheet. I personaly think this is the most important feature should to be added on. One can do an excelent job, building up a hugh worksheet, but cannot show the effect of online processing of new data on other computers, unless Mathcad of same version is already installed in it.

3) Data manipulation is still tedious, as were in Mathcad 2. A build in spreadsheet is essential to provide direct data editing.

4) Text facilities should provide paragraph justification, and text properties manipulation from the taskbar menu.

5) A simpler way to input data.

Rating:
Summary: MathCAD 8 Pro - still worth hunting for !
Review: Paulo wrote an excellent review. This version is still worth locating and using as it is the last version that works with a freely distributable viewer: MathCAD Explorer (last rev was 8.02 I believe).

MCD files created under MathCAD 8 were usable under the MathCAD 8.+ Explorer, as was interaction with the MathCAD entries. The MCD worksheet simply can't be saved from the MCAD Explorer.

If you can find it and are eligible, the MathCAD 8.0 Pro Student Edition contained:
- drawing program (from Intergraph) which allowed for import of drawings whose dimension variables could be part of the MathCAD worksheets.
- Engineering bonus CD
- Science bonus CD
- Professional enhancements including additional built-in variables, programming capabilitieis, file import/export handling

More than enough function and features to challenge High School and advanced Middle School students. Being able to take advantage of numerical solutions and/or analytic ones, depending upon the situation is a wonderful lesson for practicing numerical analysts.

Cheers, Mark@7tronics