We have always had good support from Bio-Rad.  I have been
critical of Bio-Rad before, and will be again :-), but both
on total breakdowns (usually laser failures) and minor
glitches we have always had prompt and effecient response
from the service engineers.  Down time has always been
minimal, with components loaned if a repair was likely to
take a while.  I don't believe other makers (in Australia at
least) have spare lasers standing by to loan to customers like
BioRad do.
 
The 'knockers' don't always seem to give due regard to the
fact that Bio-Rad, unlike some other manufacturers, are willing
to supply systems to fit (a) just about any microscope and
(b) just about any PC.  This is inevitably going to expose them
to problems that other brands simply don't face.  There has
to come a point where the customer has to take responsibility
for his own PC if he has provided it.  In our case, when we
upgraded our PC, we got the PC supplier to undertake that the
system *would* work with the BioRad boards and our WORM
drive and an Ethernet connection.  If it didn't we didn't have
to accept the PC.  Naturally this cost a bit more than a no-
name clone, but also substantially less than a big-name brand.
 
Of course, BioRad as always can be their own worst enemies
on this front.  They don't seem willing to issue clear
recommendations on what PCs they will support.  Many years
back BioRad UK tried to inflict a UK machine called the RM
Nimbus on the world, at a hugely inflated price.  This
computer had few friends in the UK and absolutely zero support
in Aust.  After shipping one or two of those and copping the
inevitable problems BioRad Aust. started supplying their own
machines - but unfortunately the supplier they chose didn't
really offer either the quality or the support they needed.
We had quite a few computer-related problems with the machine
they supplied.  Head office have now banned BioRad Australia
from sourcing their own PCs, so most customers now buy their
own.  How this is supposed to make things easier for either
party I do not understand.
 
When I was at BioRad's UK headquarters last year I was told
that they were now specifically supporting AST machines.   This
seemed like great news - a good brand, sold and supported
worldwide.  However they don't seem to have made this stick.  In
the US apparently BioRad use Gateway (another brand that seems
to have few friends).  So far as Aust. is concerned it seems that
BioRad were supposed to get an AST machine supplied FROM THE UK
(ie with EEC taxes etc added) at a much higher price than
buying from AST here, which most customers won't accept. AST in
Australia probably wouldn't support such a system either.
 
So, BioRad, why don't you issue a clear recommendation of a
computer which can be purchased anywhere and which has been
tested to work with BioRad hardware?  If this list is updated
annually it will give customers a clear upgrade path.  And since,
unlike the present system, most customers would probably then
buy the recommended system, your service engineers (who are
mostly great people doing a grand job) would have an easier time.
 
                        Guy Cox