To: cb5757

With reference to reply from Susan Mansilla ---- 

There are very competent, independent consultants that should not be too
difficult to locate thru the IPC.  Please refer to your IPC Membership Roster or
call the IPC and request a listing of the consultants available for the very
purpose you express.  Sorry I can't help ----- I'm assuming you are seeking
competent asssitance.

The suggestion by Susan Mansilla re calling in tech sales persons for the
equipment you would normally anticipate using is certainly pertinent but the
essential difference between the truly independent consultant and the corporate
consultant is the potential presence of bias. This caveat is not meant to impugn
(what??) the integrity of anyone you may choose to call upon but it is a
pressure-factor when you ask one corporate consultant being paid by one
corporation to recommend the best piece of equipment suitable for your
application with a list of pros and cons.  It can be done but it really means
that you must speak/meet with several for each type of equipment involved.  If
you feel inclined to do as Susan suggests --- investing that amount of time and
energy ---- I strongly suggest you give serious consideration into contracting
with an independent consultant to join with you in assessing and/or evaluating
your final selections.     

The issue is really ---- what source gives you the benefits of overviews and
truly independent analysis??

By the way, I am not ignoring the relative costs involved in getting this
advisory input.  The equipment people generally offer this free of charges ---
as they must to best serve their customers.  But the real comparison is never
the "going in" costs ----- it's the "coming out" costs.  The value of the
invormation you will get will be determined only after you're up and running
-----and you're going to be pretty far down the road before your judgment(s)
will be confirmable.

Sorry I can't do the job for you---------- 

Good luck!!  See you in Providence ----- a likely place if you want to start
asking for additional guidance----

Bernie Kessler