Fanning the Flames
Walter P. Neimczura (walt@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu)
Fri, 19 Nov 93 11:36:32 HST
Since we are offering personal opinions here I thought I would
voice a few of my own.
I feel that it is important for all of us to share in the
evaluation process of commercial instruments in which some labs are
currently involved. This allows the entire group to share the experience
of the present state of instrumentation. Not all customers are looking
for an off-the-shelf spectrometer and the needs of some will draw out
weaknesses of one instrument that others might not have the opportunity to
discover until long after the instrument is installed. Comparisons by
researchers appears to be the driving force for the manufactures to up-
grade or change their instrument design. I believe it also helps keep
them honest to a certain degree (aside from unsolicited phone call from
those not qualified to speak).
I agree with Bill Hutton that a vendor should have, and take
advantage of, this forum to correct misconceptions concerning their
instruments. Frequently the transfer of information gets garbled. However,
I feel that a vendor should restrict their information to their own instru-
ment. Their evaluation of other products is biased, this is human
nature and a fact of life.
I agree with Rudy Nunlist that we should not allow vendors access
to this group if they are going to bother us with promotional junk or
sales pitches. They have all their conferences and demo's the apply
these tactics and do so enthusiastically.
Personally, I felt that Steve Patt's response walked the razors
edge. Much of what he posted was informative but I would have preferred
that he focused his discussion on the Varian instrument and allow us to
raise the questions on compatibility with the rest of the workstation
industry. Most of us are aware of Varians history in NMR.
I want to be kept accurately informed. If one of us makes a mistake
in our evaluation of an instrument it should be corrected and the vendors
are the best qualified to do this. I do not want to be bothered my an endless
string of "Our amplifier is (choose) bigger, faster, flatter, more stable
more linear than their's".
Walt Niemczura
Dept of Chem
U of Hawaii
Honolulu, HI 96822