AMPAC™ Academic Site License FAQs

"Computational chemistry has become an essential tool in many areas of chemistry." Haddy, Journal of Chemical Education, Sept. 2001 (78) 1206.

How much does an academic site license cost?
- Desktop site licenses for AMPAC™ are $2,500. Unlike the complicated licensing schemes offered by some of our competitors, the cost of an AMPAC site license is not dependent on the size of your institution, the number of users or their usage patterns.
- Full site licenses for all types of machines that Semichem supports at your institution are $3,300.
How many computers can my department install the software on?
- The number of machines — just like the number of users — is unlimited. This includes installation on research and teaching lab machines.
Are there limits to the number of users that can install the software?
- No — a site license provides access to AMPAC for undergraduates, graduates, post-docs, laboratory technicians, professors, and others associated with your university. The only limitation is that these versions of AMPAC must be used for academic purposes such as teaching and research.
I work at a small university - why should I be interested in a site license?
- The cost of a SINGLE academic license to AMPAC is $1,100. This means that for very little more than it costs to buy licensing for only two users, you can get access for everyone on your campus, allowing integration of current technology in the lab and in the classroom.
Some of the computers at my institution are running Linux, not Windows. Do I have to buy a separate license?
- No. Part of the benefit of purchasing a desktop site license for AMPAC is that it covers ALL computers running Windows, Linux and the Mac OS.
What kind of documentation is available?
- AMPAC's extensive documentation includes an online (html), indexed user's manual, as well as a pdf version of the manual that can easily be printed for handy reference. In addition, there are a number of detailed, representative examples including electrostatic potential mapping and visualization of molecular orbitals with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions included.
Many available packages provide semiempirical methods. What sets AMPAC apart?
- ANDY (President): Compared to other packages, AMPAC has more ways to do things, many of which are much better than the competition. Advanced methods and modern, up-to-date programming insure quicker run times and more stable performance. The speed and robustness of AMPAC are just as important in teaching as in research. Best of all, AMPAC's methods are produced and supported by active researchers who are just as committed to science as you are.
- ROY (VP, Development): Many companies are shipping semiempirical packages based on older, public-domain versions of MOPAC and AMPAC. The code for these versions was developed prior to 1990, and many of these packages are not being actively developed. Semichem continues to actively develop new tools and methods for AMPAC to make it faster and easier to use. These next-generation tools are not available in any other package, and directly translate into faster more reliable calculations. In fact, customers often report time savings of 2x-10x over their current package when they switch to AMPAC.
My campus already uses GaussView®. Why should I add AMPAC?
- Semichem and Gaussian, Inc. partnered to produce the industry standard GaussView program. Because AGUI is a superset of GaussView, you can enjoy the power of AMPAC and Gaussian® from a common interface. In addition, AMPAC's GUI provides a full range of semiempirical capabilities, including the PM6, SAM1, AM1, MNDO, MNDO/d, PM3, MNDO/C, MINDO/3 methods, and on similar semiempirical calculations AMPAC finishes significantly faster. If you are doing large molecule work, this can be a substantial advantage.
Do I have to purchase updates separately?
- No. Any updates issued during the term of the license are provided immediately and at no additional charge. There is no separate fee to download \or install updates.