Canning the Internet for Third World Laboratories:  
    Scientific Nexus CD-ROMs in Crystallography and Alife for Remote Scientists,
    Chemistry Webmasters 3, Oxford University, England, July 10th, 1997


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Time, Cost and Resources Required?

Assuming you already have a PCI Bus Pentium 75 PC (or better) Available. Though it is best to buy a dedicated PC for less than A$2,000 dollars that does nothing other than collate data and write CDs. (Can't afford this myself).

EquipmentJune 1996June 1997
CD-Writer
$2,000
less than $800
Suitable Fast SCSI Hard Disk
$1,250
less than $700 (preferable to now have a non-thermal recalibrating hard-disk to work with 4x CD-writers - using Short SCSI cable on separate SCSI card)
28,800 Serial Modem
$500
less than $200

TimeJune 1996June 1997
Setup/Optimisation Time
1,000's of Hours
~1 week (part time) - with a 28,000 modem (mis)using commercially available Get-a-Site software for Win95
Maintenance
???
Depends on how often you wish to update - usually a few hours a week

Production Time/CostJune 1996June 1997
Writable CD
$15
less than $9
Padded Envelopes
~$1
~$1
Air-mail
~$5
~$5
Setup Time to Write CD
1.5 hours
.75 hours
Time Writing each CD
50 minutes to 1.5 hours
25 minutes to 50 minutes

Obviously at a good Research institute or University Internet link, things would go much faster and easier. But this type of project can be done from a home PC using 28,800 serial modem and telephone system. The limiting factor for downloading files off the internet is usually the international/national links, not the local modem. Also, Writable CDs can be a bit finicky to use and the present generation of CD-writers can be a worry.

CD-ROMs can be manufactured for <$1 -> but only if done in volume

In small volume -> Commercial Cost ~$20 - $70


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