Alan,
            while you appear to be a bit ticked regarding the lack of comments,
you should appreciate that many of us get between 50 and 100 emails a day. We
have to put some priority on these and to be honest I did not reply because I
simply do not have time to respond to all I would like to.
I see the Histonet as performing three major services
1.    to generate discussion about controversial techniques
2.    to disseminate information from individuals with a lot expertise in
specific areas
3.    to answer basic questions from individuals who are just starting a
technique with which they are unfamiliar.
I think that the Histonet accomplishes these tasks admirably.

There are some drawbacks in our system including poor grammar and poor
spelling.

I generally ignore comments regarding spelling, there are more important things
in life and in any case my word checker do not always know best despite what it
thinks!  Personally I speak and spell americaese.   This is a combination of
east London cockney, Iowanese and Texanese. Each of these areas has added to my
education with terms such as y'all and fixin to etc. I think this is a healthy
way to go.
As for your requests for information, only the individuals who believe they can
have influence on the purchase of such equipment, such as supervisors  will
bother to respond.
Below are some comments from the top of my head,  some are design requirements,
and some are operational ones.

1.    Equipment has to be able pass all required  inspections.
2.    Equipment has to be virtually foolproof once programmed.
3.    adequate storage for embedding molds
4.    large, rapidly cooling, are for setting wax. It might help if the storage
area for molds especially and the cooling area could be made as units which can
be added. This could decrease the space required for the embedding center. Most
embedding centers seem  similar to Hummer cars in their design and occupy a
large surface area on the counter. Space is often at a premium in some path
labs.
5.    large wax reservoir which can be maintained at plus or minus 1 degree
C of
the set temperature. this should be able to be made relatively dust proof with
an additional cover. Seems as if many of the current wax reservoirs are not
appropriately insulated.
6.    foolproof controls to prevent unauthorized temperature changing
7.    2 places for keeping heated forceps
8.    foot control plus hand control for wax dispensing
9.    Training should either be able to be accomplished in a few hours (or
after
visit to the place of manufacture....I liked Shandons package a few years ago
where you could include training in England as part of the purchase price
of the
tissue processor!).
10.    Components that need to be replaced should be readily available.
A detailed but user friendly manual to enable the technician to take care of
small problems and diagnose big problems.
11.    The equipment needs to be delivered, set up  and made fully operational
by the promised date.
12.    Service must be available in a timely fashion. If the service person has
to      travel from Outer Mongolia then the machine will never sell in Houston.
We need service to be available so that OUR service is uninterrupted.
13.    Willingness on the part of the company to farm prototypes out for
evaluation. Just good PR.
14.    Cheap would also help.
Call me if you would like to discuss this, right now I  am commencing to go and
have a cup of cawfee.
Barry

Alan Bright wrote
am amazed at the lack of comments I received (or not ) regarding a product

> development, of which many of you are having problems with. See my previous
> e-mail below.
>
> I believe that this group was formed for the advancement of Histology
> techniques and equipment, not to pick up on grammar and spelling mistakes,
> which has attracted a tremendous amount of input in the past.
>
> We are not looking to sell any products, but are trying to make sure we
> develop a product to the requirements of you, the users.
>
> So what are your priorities, advancement in histology or spelling, grammar
> or other irrelevant comments.
>
> I am sorry if this all sounds a bit strong, but  it is my intention to get
> as much input from you to enable us to develop an instrument that fulfils
> your needs. Your input is paramount to achieve this. I would like to assure
> you that all the points raised will be taken into consideration, and
> hopefully with a positive response from you, will fulfil this aim.
>
>             ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> <We are in the process of developing a New Tissue Embedding Centre, and
> could>
> <not help but notice that quite a lot on the market at present are not very>
> <reliable, and that there are many features that Histologist  would like to>
> <see added.>
>
> <We would be pleased to receive your comments on features you would like to>
> <see incorporated in a New Tissue Embedding Centre.>
>
> <Please reply direct to: Bright@dial.pipex.com  so that we do not clog up
> the>
> <Histonet !!!!!!!!>
>
>       +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> Alan Bright
>
> Bright Instrument Co.Ltd.
> St Margarets Way
> Huntingdon
> PE18 6EB
> England
>
> Tel No; 01480 454528
> Fax No;01480 456031
> Email ; Bright@dial.pipex.com

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