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2. PC FCM analysis software
BDIS makes PC-LYSYS, which we have been using for a couple of years now.
Verity and Phoenix also offer PC analysis programs (look through
Cytometry for their ads). Also try
http://www.bio.umass.edu/mcbfacs/flowcat.html
a catalog of free flow cytometry software maintained by Eric Martz.
3. mixed Mac/PC LAN
Planning the physical wiring of a LAN is pretty easy: 10Base-T or 10Base-2.
Planning the Network Operating System (NOS) is not so easy (unless you or
your organization has already dumped a lot of money into one already).
Since you're already on the internet, you could just use ftp, if all you
are interested in is file exchange. If you want to share printers, you'll
probably need a NOS (I haven't found a good lpr/lpd solution for print
sharing yet). If you don't have any VMS or Unix machines to complicate the
matter, I'd say your choices are AppleShare, NetWare, and Windows NT AS
(Advanced Server), but there are others. Since Apple includes network
client software with their system software, you are spared the per-computer
license fee of the PC NOSs. In fact, you can set up a peer-to-peer (similar
to NetWare Lite) network of Macintoshes without buying any additional
software. Apple sells a PC version of its network client software; however,
it appears that the PC client is included with AppleShare server software
for an unlimited number of PCs (unverified). You may not need a server, but
it should at least make printer sharing more sane. And printer sharing is
the only problem for AppleShare: not every printer can be served from an
AppleShare server. I expect Apple printers to work well, but you may want
to verify the compatibility of other printers. Other problems
with incorporating Macs into a PC NOS is that you must buy additional
server software (usually in addition to the Mac client license), and
setting up that software usually drives network administrators insane. :)
4. Friendly advice (take it or leave it)
Okay, I don't want to start another Mac vs. PC battle (the war has been
going on for ages). But, just for your application (off-line analysis
station for a FACStation acquistion system), doesn't another FACStation
make sense? Sure, it has a bigger price tag, but you get more, too. You
only have to learn one program (CellQuest): save yourself time, save time
training others, etc. You can avoid problems caused by the differences between
the softwares: user A insists on using the acquisiton station because they
don't have time to learn the software on the analysis station, user B
insists on using the acquisition station because they like the way the
colors come out better than they do on the analysis station, etc. Network
software is included free on the Mac, and takes virtually seconds to set up a
peer-to-peer connection between Macs (compared to the pricey and
complicated NetWare or NetWare Lite NOSs). What if something happens to
your acquisition system (a hard disk crashes, for instance)? A second
FACStation can serve as a backup acquistion system. If you want to run more
sophisticated analysis software to analyze more complex data, such as
Attractors or Paint-a-Gate PRO, you'll need a Macintosh. Believe me, it's
great to have Attractors or PAG PRO banging out statistics for multicolor flow
unattended, while I run more samples on the cytometer.
/\/\/\_ Eric Van Buren, vanburen%flovax.dnet@rocdec.roc.wayne.edu
\ \ \ Immunology & Microbiology
\_^_/ Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
*** GLIIFCA 4 will be in Detroit September 29-October 1, will you? ***
*** Great Lakes International Imaging and Flow Cytometry Association ***
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