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ratings
  • Product: Interactive Physics
  • Relevant Links: home page, more reviews
  • Company/Vendor: Knowledge Revolution
  • Price: approx $249 US (single user), find a reseller
  • Category: Physics
  • Platforms: Windows and MacOS
  • Latest Version: IP 2000
  • Review Date: March 1, 2001 (revised)
  • ScienceMan Rating:

The Review!

The other day I received my demo disk of Interactive Physics 2000 (IP 2000) from the very helpful people at Arbor Scientific (thanks guys!). I use Interactive Physics in my class frequently (see the ScienceMan review here), and despite some minor problems with the software, such as slow saving and the occasional system crash (I've only tested the Mac version thoroughly), I'm a big fan of the software - it's a terrific concept.

I was excited to hear IP 2000 was finally available for Mac - hoping that it would solve some of the minor problems. Unfortunately, I can find virtually no reason to buy this upgrade. The problems:

  • The MSC software pamphlet that accompanies the IP 2000 has a sticker that says "IP 2000 now with sound" - but only when you visit the website do you find that the sound feature works only with the windows version.
  • As with the IP 5.0 version, the IP 2000 installer is faultly, and Mac users should use caution when running the installer. The installer places the following file in the system folder, in extensions: AppleScript™ 1.1. By adding the trademark symbol to the extension name, they inadvertently (or carelessly) created a new extension. This is added to the system folder along with the previous version of AppleScript (with system 9.0.4, it will be AppleScript 1.4.3). I have tested this and confirmed the problem on several systems. I suppose this is slightly better than the previous installer error, which outright replaced newer versions of AppleScript. Unfortunately, both errors can cause complete system freezes.
  • Other than a new startup splash screen, I can't see anything different in the new version. In fact, the version number of the software is listed as "5.1" in the get info window. Perhaps there are minor improvements that I am simply missing, but I can't help but to wonder why MSC software wouldn't provide free incremental updates to education customers who have invested a great deal of money buying their products.

Interactive Physics is a great product - if you don't own and you teach physics, you definitely should buy it. But the company who makes it needs to make some changes. It's not fair to expect cash-strapped schools to buy incremental updates when they've already invested heavily. Perhaps a minimal upgrade fee is acceptable, but nothing more, especially when a new version offers little that is obviously "new".

September 25, 2000 update & warning...

A warning that might affect a few of you... if you install Interactive Physics version 5.0 on a Mac running system 8.6 or higher, the installer will place and old version of the AppleScript extension (1.1) into your system folder. This can lead to crashes and freezes. Unfortunately, even selecting "custom install" doesn't help... you'll just have to go into your system folder later and get rid of the offending extension.

The Review!

Version 5.0 of Interactive Physics is all that the old version 3.0 was... an incredibly diverse yet manageable tool for creating physics simulations in the classroom.

In fact, it's pretty hard to tell what's different between the two versions at first glance. I'll note the differences in a minute but I have a problem with the revision number - when you jump from "version 3" to "version 5", I expect a significant, if not drastic upgrade. Version "5" hardly qualifies in this respect - I think an increment would be more appropriate, "3.5" maybe. I wouldn't make such a big deal out of it except for the fact that vendors are charging $169 Canadian (about $119 US) to upgrade - that's pretty steep! I was also quite shocked not to receive the new version 5 print user's guide with my purchase.

Well, now that I've got that off my chest, on with the review.

You might need a little practice with this baby, but once you and your students get the hang of it, you'll be able to simulate any physics event. The simulations are the heart of this software - you can easily create them with tools from the intuitive palette; drawing shapes, setting paths and parameters is straightforward. If you want to change simulation features, it's usually as simple as dragging on a sliding control bar. There is a plethora of controls to learn... thankfully the new version of Interactive Physics includes a new workshop and guide to help you through the rough spots.

Is this just software that moves balls around a screen? Heck, no! Build and dismantle machines, change properties of objects, construct interactive physics games, measure simulations numerically and graphically, even import your own class selected spreadsheet data - the possibilites are endless! My students have constructed fascinating gravity and momentum demonstrations that are so I good I use them in presentations to other teachers!

Version 5 brings a few new features;

  • When you attach a picture to a body, the picture now rotates as the body rotates.
  • You are no longer forced to use only rectangular pictures, they can be any shape you want.
  • You don't have to have text as a fixed feature on the screen - you can now have it appear as part of your simulation.
  • Scriptable buttons - you can add a button to run a small selection of scripts, such as "flip polygon".

If you teach physics, you need this software... but be aware of the following;

  • If you own version 3.0, I don't think the version 5.0 upgrade is worth the expense. I was hoping that version 5.0 would solve one of IP's biggest problems - crashiness. After testing 30 or 40 simulations, I am disappointed to report that version 5.0 crashes just about as often as version 3.0. Expect a crash about every one in fifteen times you use IP, more often if the simulations are more complex. Get your students to save often!
  • The help guide is good, but parts of it haven't been updated to help you with version 5 features. Some things are left out completely, like exporting quicktime movies.
  • Expect to be frustrated sometimes... I still can't get certain things to work like I want. Just one example - if you wish to "crop" your simulation to minimize empty space before exporting to a quicktime movie... well, there's no easy way. Why can't there be an "optimize" option when exporting?
  • One other problem is that IP can be very intolerant of objects that overlap slightly - this would be Ok if you were warned consistently, but sometimes the program accepts the changes but then the simulation goes completely "haywire" - objects going through each other, behaving wildly, etc.

All in all, IP is great stuff, but there are plenty of nigglys to put up with. If you can survive this program's rough spots, you'll definitely benefit from it.

I just wish Knowledge Revolution would work at providing updates that would squash some bugs instead of adding features of dubious value and then charging an arm and a leg to upgrade.

Supplement March 18 2000

Interactive Physics gives students the opportunity to design just about any physical event they want. I have Physics 30 students design transfers of momentum... and I must say this latest group of students came up with some pretty cool ones!

moving balls

If you'd like to see some of the creative ones, you can download them here. The download is a stuffit archive, about 1.4 MB. I'm pretty sure that Interactive Physics files can be opened by Mac or PC - as long as you have Interactive Physics on your hard drive... please let me know if you have trouble viewing them. Oh... I must offer a disclaimer about the one that starts with "ouch"... please do not view this one if you have delicate sensibilites (or if you think that "America's Funniest Videos" is unfair to men, if you know what I mean!).
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