Subject: solutions for confocals on Macs
Regarding the travails of Jamie Eisenhart and others:

(---This is a reply from a commercial vendor---)

I would like to suggest the possibility that our software, IPLab Spectrum
could help those who want to use their Macs with their confocal
microscopes.

IPLab Spectrum  is:
(1)  Stable (7-year-old Mac-only product) ; (2) Widely used --- thousands
of customers worldwide; (3) Well integrated --- IPLab is sold by numerous
high-end imaging  component vendors including digital camera, microscope,
and high-end software vendors, and we control numerous microscope-related
peripherals, like filter wheels, stages, etc;  (4) Fully-supported ---
unlimited technical support (via telephone/email) whether sold by us
directly or through another vendor; (5) Completely devoted to high
quality scientific imaging solutions.

If the Noran scope is RS-232 controllable, we may be able to help you
*immediately*, and for much  less than the $20K required to move to the
PC solution. Send me your requirements and desired functionality.

I have in the past made clear to confocal manufacturers on this list our
availablity  to work with them to develop Macintosh software modules for
their microscopes, especially those with RS232 controls. We *already* do
this for the Meridian InSight.

Why  ignore a customer who wants _both_ the fine instrumentation provided
by their microscope  and the familiar and oft-preferred interface of
their Macintosh computers?

And please, no PC vs. Mac battle is intended. The fact is, many scientists
plead for Mac-based solutions. This option would be for them. I'm not
trying to proselytize any of you PC users, although if that happens, who
am I to argue.  =:- }

Contact me with comments and questions.

Paul Krumpe
Signal Analytics
(703) 281-3277
www.iplab.com/sac