Probably because of some clerical error, it looks like the NIH is actually going to give us some money to buy a confocal microscope (with four lasers: UV-Ar, Ar, GreenHeNe and Red HeNe) this Spring. Assuming that I don't wake up (I keep pinching myself, but so far nothing has happened), I would like advice on the critical parameters/experiments to compare between Leica and Zeiss confocals. I have two specific requests. If anyone has run a head-to-head test between the units in the last few months, I would love to know the results. The second request is for any general information about the tested or envisioned strength of the Leica in a multi-user facility (like ours will be). Tony Moss just mentioned that the Leica software was baroque. Has that changed? Is there a macro programming mode that is debugged and versatile? How is light path alignment on a day-to-day or dichroic-to-dichroic basis (my particular bone to pick with BioRad...)? How is service/technical support? Has anyone worked with the fiber optic coupling for the UV laser? Chip Montrose Johns Hopkins Univ. Balmer, MD voice: 410-955-9681 FAX: 410-955-9677