1. Retain the Quadra and upgrade the software. Install the PowerMac as the
offline analytical machine with offline data archiving. This would mean
that we would retain Cellquest for data acquisition and analysis with Modfit
being used for DNA analysis. We (or BD) would have to maintain this
environment as a stand-alone computing system.
2. Replace the Quadra with the PowerMac and upgraded Cellquest software.
Download data via ethernet to a server (DEC Alpha) and allow cytometry
users to access the data and carry out analysis on their own PCs. This
option means that we would need to use third party software.
We are interested in any information or advice that would assist us in being
able to make a rational decision. In particular we would be interested in
any problems there might be with either of these options. I suspect that
the relative costs might be similar in which case we might have to choose
on the basis of the merits of the software options. Do people have strong
views about the relative merits of various software packages? One of the
things we would be very keen on is to able to allow our statisticians ready
access to the data electronically.
Does anyone have strong views on options for data archiving? We were
contemplating either a Syquest EZ135 or Iomega Zip drive.
Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Michael Gurnsey
AgResearch
Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre
Hamilton
New Zealand
Ph +64 7 838 5542
Fax +64 7 838 5536
e-mail gurnseym@agresearch.cri.nz