Dear Happy sequencers.
We have 15 PE-ABI machines in our sequencing facility. PE is very
innovative,
especially commercially.
Here is my experience with the 377XL upgrade.
When we purchased new sequencers, PE-ABI promised that upgrade kits would
be
available shortlyafter delivery of the sequencers in July 1996. According
to
their representatives, they had some difficulties in development, wich
would
delay the delivery of the kits until early December 1996, and then they
assured
us that these kits had been shipped at the end of November.
It is now nearly February 1997, and we have now just received only one
Kit.
Unless they are swimming across the Atlantic on their own, I can only
imagine
that there must be some sort of organizational problem in their
distribution
center.
When I opened the kit, I was surprised not to find any 48- or 64-teeth
combs!!!
So they have sent an upgrade that is unusable as the upgrade; with the
high
price they charge for the upgrade, I would think they would at least
include
a comb. So, I had to separately order the comparatively inexpensive
combs, and
I wonder how long I now must be wait to be able to try the upgrade.
I am extremely surprised that a company like Perkin-Elmer Applied
Biosystems
does not takes its clients more seriously, and actually I think the best
way to
work with them is to purchase sequencing and PCR materials from other
suppliers,
as much as possible.
Herve Crespeau
Genethon
crespeau at genethon.fr
