Revised version (07-07-07) to include original comments (with gratefully appreciated permission from Alex and Marco)

Hi Gerd,

Thank you for writing Re: areas of concern about ACP. We are delighted to have this opportunity to address these issues.

Human nature being what it is, I expect it's not surprising for us to always expect the worse about some new changes. However I think you will learn, soon enough, that the change to ACP will not only be well accepted, but actually applauded.

As a prime example, let's take the issue about which you describe in your recent e-mail (please see a quotation below):

“But for the moment: if I am not satisfied with the time ACP thinks best for starting, I think it is necessary to correct timesettings in the script by hand. Is this correct, or is there a better method?”

As others have also raised their concern about this point, your concerns also seemed well justified. So please allow me to present the following for your consideration:

• When you subscribe to global Rent-a-scope, you engage our services on a professional level. We unconditionally guarantee your satisfaction. I dare say no other similar type of service offers such a guarantee. In fact I would go so far as to state that very few, if any, services available on the Internet also make such a guarantee.
• Now we don't claim to be perfect, although we try very hard to meet that level of perfection, but who among you has experienced any type of problem in using the GRAS system that was not rectified to your complete satisfaction in a very timely manner?

So, based on points one and two above and our predictable, past behavior of not only trying to meet your expectations, but really to exceed them, it would seem to follow that the GRAS organization should, at this point, have at least earned a small degree of confidence from our subscribers; yet doubts seem to remain about our plan to implement ACP.

Okay, we love a challenge. So just to demonstrate our desire to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction, the issue mentioned above, is now a non-issue. Thanks to Brad, working in concert with the author of ACP, this restriction has been removed from our proprietary version of ACP.

So let's review the situation, there is absolutely no additional financial risk to our subscribers in using ACP that I can see. In fact, you have lots to gain. Further, you might say that we've greased the skids a bit by adding several videos that vividly display the simplicity that is built into ACP, when used in a comparable mode to our previous control software. 

In our initial experience with ACP, we have come to find it is much more efficient in the overall operation. Consequently the use of ACP should serve to save you time and money. Now as if this was not enough, you may also find additional benefits by means of the delivery of even higher quality data than was possible before.

Still not convinced? Some of you may find it interesting to learn of a supernova hunting project that is being carried out by a group of researchers from Italy. 

When we first introduced ACP on G8, they were extremely concerned as many of you are at the moment. Believe me you would be amazed at the difference between their initial first reaction,

 Dear Arnye, dear Brad,
We have always problems with the new ACP program and GRAS8. This system is now very, very slow. For only one 60" image we need now 4 or 5 minutes !!! Instead with the old system we took a couple of 60" images in "only" 200 seconds!!!

We can't do supernovae research with this new system! It's very sophisticated, but for our research it's much worse. We don't need a pointing automated correction system, we don't need that the system visualize a preview image before slewing to the next object. All these operations slow down the system, with the consequence that now we can take only 6 or 7 couple of 60" images  of galaxies in 1 hour, instead of 18 or 19 couple of 60" images with the old system!!! With the old system we could also automatically logoff at the end of the session, now it's no possible! If you don't find a "stratagem" to obviate at all these problems we can't never again connect to your system to take pictures for the SN research and then, with great regret, we will must cancel our subscription. :

( In the hope that all return like before, We say you

"Clear Skies".

 Alessandro Dimai & Marco Migliardi
 CROSS Program
 www.cortinastelle.it/cross/cross.htm

Maybe this sounds a bit familiar? <G>
 

And their most recent reaction to the last run, The difference? it was like night and day. 

Hi Brad,
many, many thanks for your great work!
I'm very happy that now the system works good for our research program. I hope today to try it!

Cheers

Alex
 

Brad’s modifications to our proprietary version of ACP produced an amazing performance of an additional 11% throughput in image acquisition. Now your mileage may vary but you get the idea.

Okay, so let's talk a little bit more about risk; we see very little from the perspective of the subscriber. But perhaps that's because we're not in the subscriber's shoes. 

On the other hand, let me pose the perspective of the GRAS team in the form of the following question: 

Would it seem reasonable for the GRAS team to pursue a course of action with the implementation of ACP, that might jeopardize the incredible reputation we worked so hard to build over the last several years? A reputation we might add, of consistently producing the highest quality of service in this industry.

Come on now give us a break! This is not rocket science <g>.

We've already established, the main objective of the GRAS team is to serve your astronomical and research needs. In our view, the implementation of ACP, will provide you with the most reliable, efficient and cost-effective manner in which to pursue your individual astronomical imaging and research projects.

If any of you have any different point of view. We openly invite you to submit them. As we mentioned earlier, the whole idea of this service is to provide you with the best possible resources to accomplish your personal missions. The expression of your ideas, concerns and suggestions will assist us in providing you with the best possible options. 

Arnie.

The GRAS Team

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