NEC Plus being discontinued

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kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Occupation
EC
Received the following in an email recently from NEC Plus:

Dear necplus? Subscriber,

Please be advised that as of February 28, 2014, access to necplus will no longer be available.

The decision to discontinue necplus was not an easy one. As more of our NEC customers require access in the field, we felt at this point the best option to meet this need was to offer an enhanced eBook product that provides access to the NEC? anytime, anywhere. The good news is that enhanced eBooks are one-time purchases that provide you with higher quality images, superior search functionality, and the mobility you need.

If you are interested in learning more about NFPA's enhanced eBooks, please see below for additional information. You can also go to www.necconnect.org for the latest updates on information related to the 2014 NEC. nec connect is NFPA's free online resource and community for all things related to the National Electrical Code?.

Thank you for your loyalty to necplus over the years. We look forward to moving into the future with you by providing more useful, portable and interactive digital products.


Sincerely,

M.C. Twombly
Specialist, necplus​
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What are NFPA's enhanced eBooks?

This new interactive technology makes it easy to search and scroll through documents, highlight specific content, bookmark pages or sections, and enlarge image views. You can also add private user notes ? or make them public to solicit feedback from colleagues and subject matter experts. Your enhanced eBook purchase gives you access to that title on up to two mobile devices, in addition to a Web browser*. You can view your eBook offline on your mobile device using the free Apple Inkling app or access your eBook online through your Web browser. Watch this video to learn more.

The following NFPA electrical products are now available in the enhanced eBook format:​
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Biggest problem I have, and I realize there is probably little I can do about it myself is not everyone is switched to the 2014 NEC yet. NEC Plus kind of was the replacement to the CD-ROM format of earlier versions of the NEC, and IMO is easier to search and navigate through than PDF versions that are available, though I did like the earlier versions a little better plus you could still use them even if you had no internet connection. I kind of understand the need to change as things evolve and the E book thing is the latest way - but may very well get replaced again like other formats did. But until the 2014 actually is adopted for some this means we will have to use the PDF format or open a real book to access 2011 NEC. My 2008 and earlier CD ROM's still will work but I am past 2008 so they likely will not get used anyway - besides NEC Plus had 2002 to 2011 all included so one could go back a few years to see old content (but not too old) if necessary.

Just wanted to vent and thought they are pulling the plug on this a little too soon, but it is their decision and not mine.

I don't expect the 2014 to be adopted anytime before June around here, all depends on when it goes through, or if it goes through legislation, and when it does go through it will not be effective until 90 days after it is passes legislation anyway. If it don't go through legislation who knows, that did happen in 2008, and we ended up not adopting 2008 NEC until it was getting close to release of 2011.
 
kwired said:
Received the following in an email recently from NEC Plus:

Dear necplus? Subscriber,

Please be advised that as of February 28, 2014, access to necplus will no longer be available.

This is so we can squeeze even more money out of you for electronic versions that we hope you will not realize we have already developed as part of the process so there's no additional cost involved in offering them to you at exhorbitant prices. The increased cost to you will be in the form of single-license copies, one will be required for every electronic device you own. This is in direct contrast to the multiple-user license that was available to necplus users.

The decision to go this route was very easy to make since we will be raking in even more money.


Sincerely,

M.C. Twombly
Specialist, necplus
​
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FIFY.
 
I use to use them! I liked it, but couldn?t maintain the cost.
I?m sure 480 got it right, but is there something better?
 
resistance said:
I use to use them! I liked it, but couldn?t maintain the cost.
I?m sure 480 got it right, but is there something better?
Click to expand...
The E book probably is better, but they need to put all the NEC plus content (particularly the 2011 NEC) out in an E book as well or at least wait a little longer before discontinuing NEC plus. My biggest problem with it is they are discontinuing it only 2 months into 2014, many jurisdictions will still be using 2011 NEC for some time I would assume. Plus the nice thing about NEC plus was you had access to not only 2011 NEC but also the handbook content, as well as previous codes back to 2002, and you also have access to 70E, as well as ROP/ROC links embedded in the code content at places where it applies, and sometimes UL white page links are embedded in the code content at places where it applies.

Now maybe the new E book version does all that, but it doesn't include 2011 code AFAIK, and am pretty sure there is no handbook content unless you purchase the actual handbook version - which I guess is fair, they probably could have limited NEC plus to not include the handbook content unless you paid extra for it and that would have been just as fair IMO.
 
Strangely enough, they aren?t advertising discontinuing NEC Plus on their site?unless I missed it!?
 
resistance said:
Strangely enough, they aren?t advertising discontinuing NEC Plus on their site?unless I missed it!?
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I'm guessing they only sent emails to current subscribers. I did notice they had no subscription renewal this year like they did in the past, and it kind of led me to believe 2014 would not be added to it, but wasn't really sure just how long they would continue the service either. Most of what I posted in OP is copied/pasted from the email I received.
 
@Kwired,
I was thinking they was trying to do a back door subscription (bate and switch). But, I tried to subscribe, and indeed you can?t. It?s no longer available.
 
kwired said:
The E book probably is better, but they need to put all the NEC plus content (particularly the 2011 NEC) out in an E book as well or at least wait a little longer before discontinuing NEC plus. My biggest problem with it is they are discontinuing it only 2 months into 2014, many jurisdictions will still be using 2011 NEC for some time I would assume. Plus the nice thing about NEC plus was you had access to not only 2011 NEC but also the handbook content, as well as previous codes back to 2002, and you also have access to 70E, as well as ROP/ROC links embedded in the code content at places where it applies, and sometimes UL white page links are embedded in the code content at places where it applies.

Now maybe the new E book version does all that, but it doesn't include 2011 code AFAIK, and am pretty sure there is no handbook content unless you purchase the actual handbook version - which I guess is fair, they probably could have limited NEC plus to not include the handbook content unless you paid extra for it and that would have been just as fair IMO.
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California just barely switched to the 2011. Assuming Code adoption continues as it normally does in CA, we won't be on the 2014 Code until 2017.
 
Dugswork said:
Does the NEC Plus or the new e- book {never used either} contain illustrations and notes like in the NEC Handbook?
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NEC plus contains all the content of the NEC handbook, but does have the ability to toggle the handbook commentary on/off if you do not wish to see it. I usually leave it off but can turn it on if I would want to look at the handbook commentary in certain instances. The new e-books I am pretty sure there was NEC and a NEC handbook - each a separate purchase. I would hope if you purchased the handbook version that you would have the ability to display NEC only if you desired, but I don't know any of those kind of details for certain.
 
kwired said:
I'm guessing they only sent emails to current subscribers. I did notice they had no subscription renewal this year like they did in the past, and it kind of led me to believe 2014 would not be added to it, but wasn't really sure just how long they would continue the service either. Most of what I posted in OP is copied/pasted from the email I received.
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I know I didn't get one, and it kind of pisses me off.
IMO it is utter B-S that we have to buy each edition, or am I reading this wrong? I really liked Plus and the ability to look through older editions for comparison. I also liked have it available on any format I choose. Will the eBook work on all formats; PC, phone, iPad (iOS), etc?
 
So looking into it, I see no support for Android (yet), and only Chrome browser??? I truly hope this is not for real. Pathetic is all I can say if it is.

It truly sucks that NFPA is such a monopoly. If it weren't for that fact I would never go near another NFPA product ever again.

**Edit: FireFox does work.
 
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I don't know what the E-books all are compatible with, but what really stinks is I am still using 2011 NEC, and will be for at least three or four months, and only electronic version I now have is the PDF that I got free with purchase of softbound book when I first purchased it. The PDF version is horrible for navigation compared to the older CD-ROM versions of earlier codes or the NEC plus that came out with 2011. PDF is fine but not for a document that is this long and that often you want to jump around from one part to another and maybe back to where you were to begin with. No links when referring to other sections so you can easily go to that section to see what is there.

I'm guessing the 2014 E book has a lot of those features, but it just is a fact that many of us are not using the 2014 yet is what is a problem.:(

If 2014 gets any opposition in NE Legislature when it comes up it could very easily not get passed and it would likely be another year before there is much chance of it being adopted, in meantime we would remain on 2011. It did happen that way when 2008 came out, there was opposition and it was held up and we were getting close to 2011 coming out before 2008 was finally adopted.
 
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