Frequently Asked Questions

Can Anyone Participate?

We want to be an inclusive community. As long as people participate within the community guidelines, we welcome them. As with all moderated communities however, difficult choices must be made occasionally to ensure the ongoing effectiveness and health of the site. Legally speaking, we do reserve the right to deny access to individuals whom the site moderators deem to be counter to the interest of the community. We will exercise this right sparingly.

Can I criticize Maplesoft and its products?

Often constructive criticism is essential for the health of an online community. We want open discussions. When criticisms go beyond the boundaries of being constructive and linger in the realm of flames, vents, and personal attacks, the moderators may deem it necessary to conclude the debate. In addition, there will be a "zero tolerance" policy for content that crosses the boundaries into illegal, libelous, and other forms of destructive content.

Can I mention or promote competing products?

We are not going to censor out all mentions of other products. Mentioning or comparing products is acceptable and desirable content. Even if it's critical in nature, it identifies areas for improvement. "Promoting" other products may require some judgment calls. If the thread goes on too long and no new constructive information is being presented then moderators may have to conclude the thread. Of course, in this situation any terms outlined in the Community Guidelines hold.

Do Maplesoft employees post to MaplePrimes?

Yes they do but it is still very much a community driven site. Maplesoft staff are free to contribute but we do not have dedicated staff other than the the group that manages the site function itself.

Is MaplePrimes a marketing ploy?

Anything officially sanctioned or funded by a corporation can be interpreted as a marketing ploy. Yes Maplesoft genuinely hopes that MaplePrimes is a positive influence on the market and that people will learn more and continue to support the Maplesoft business as a consequence of their experiences on this site. However, we have taken great pains to establish suitable distance from corporate policies and the editorial elements of the site. Our goal is to establish a truly community-driven site. However at the outset, in order to achieve critical mass of participants, MaplePrimes will initially have greater direct participation by Maplesoft staff. This is not our preference but a simple reality. If it's at all comforting, the site is not directed or operated by our Marketing department

What's the difference between MaplePrimes and the Maple Application Center?

Within MaplePrimes, you will have the ability to post applications, exchange applications, etc. The primary difference between MaplePrimes and the Application Center is really about quality levels. For the Application Center, there is a review process an some editorial interaction with the author before it is published and ultimately, Maplesoft makes the decision. Within MaplePrimes, your application, its quality, and all other elements of it, are your responsibility. Some may want to only show their best polished work while others may wish to solicit comments on incomplete works to assist in development. Ultimately, we hope that MaplePrimes, due to its nature, becomes a vehicle for the community to be self-reviewing and dynamically identify great applications. Once the flow of applications into MaplePrimes reaches this level, we will review the role of the Maple Application Center which may become obsolete at that point as the community does a better job at producing useful application tools for others. We believe this will be a good thing for Maplesoft and users alike.