<html>
<body>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><br>
Good morning ATHEN-ites,<br><br>
am passing along the information about the demise of MacKichan software,
the company that handles Scientific Notebook, Scientific Word, & Math
Talk. The company shuttered as of June 30, 2021. Here is an update from
the CEO:<br><br>
There is information in this news release regarding how to handle both
individual & site licenses for Scientific Notebook. This is a tough
one for those of us who do research & train colleagues & students
on accessible math software for people with mobility impairments &
learning disabilities such as dysgraphia & dyscalculia.<br><br>
While Scientific Word may end up in the realm of open source software
(good thing), math talk & the algorithm that produces the interface
for Scientific Notebook & between Dragon NaturallySpeaking &
Scientific Notebook is unlikely to be replicated because of copyright
& proprietary restrictions.<br><br>
In any case, here is the press release, now a couple of months old. My
suggestion is that you share the Scientific Notebook licensing
information with those on your campus who have this program and want to
continue using it.<br><br>
I received this on another listserv this morning.<br>
SOURCE: <br>
Jane Fridrich <br>
Assistive Technologist <br>
Laurier University<br><br>
Hi, the website of MacKichan software makers of MathTalk and Scientific
Notebook have closed June 30th. We used scientific notebook as a
great math conversion tool. An unfortunate casualty of COVID? The
open source code sounds promising...<br><br>
From their site:
<a href="https://www.mackichan.com/">https://www.mackichan.com/</a><br>
<br>
MacKichan Software, Inc. has gone out of businessSales have ceased for
Scientific WorkPlace, Scientific Word, and Scientific Notebook<br>
MacKichan Software, Inc., after providing word processing software for
those who speak the language of mathematics for forty years (under
several names), closed its doors on June 30, 2021. This marks the end of
sales and support for the MacKichan Software products.<br><br>
All owners of Scientific WorkPlace, Scientific Word, or Scientific
Notebook should have a serial number that was included in their purchase.
This number is also included in the license file for your installation as
the last line in the file. If you need to install your software on a new
or different computer, you will need to re-activate the software on that
computer using that serial number. The software can be activated as
before, using the Help/Activate menu item. This contacts the MacKichan
Software licensing server, which we will keep running for at least two
years.<br><br>
Sites with permanent site licenses will, of course, be free to use
Scientific WorkPlace, Scientific Word, and/or Scientific Notebook as long
as they like. Those sites that have paid for maintenance with home-use
satellite licenses can continue, but will be unable to create new
satellite licenses after their maintenance agreement expires.<br><br>
We expect to make Scientific Word an open source product eventually.
Since both Scientific WorkPlace and Scientific Notebook contain the
proprietary computer algebra system MuPAD, they cannot be made open
source. When the open source project for Scientific Word is established,
an announcement will be made here.<br><br>
We hope to make version 5.5 of Scientific Word available in the future.
It currently contains several components that are licensed and not owned
by MacKichan Software. These components need to be removed, and our
intention is then to make Scientific Word version 5.5 open
source.<br><br>
Barry MacKichan<br>
President<br>
MacKichan Software, Inc.<br><br>
July 1, 2021<br><br>
The latest released version of these products is 6.1.2. To update your
program to the latest release, click here.<br>
The same page also contains links to the installers for version 5.5 and
the manuals for versions 5.5 and 6.<br><br>
<br>
Wink Harner<br>
Accessibility Consultant/Alternative Text Production<br>
The Foreign Type<br><br>
Portland OR<br>
<a href="mailto:foreigntype@gmail.com">foreigntype@gmail.com</a><br>
480-984-0034<br><br>
This email was dictated using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Please forgive
quirks, misrecognitions, or errata .</blockquote></body>
</html>