Forest list archive: msg00087

[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: Vegetation field data & handheld computers



I would really like to be able to justify their cost. I can't
believe that these things still cost as much as a complete
(by most people's standards ;-) ) Pentium desktop system.

At $2500, depreciated over three years, if used 100 days per
year, at an average 20 plots per day, that costs $.42 per plot,
not including the intitial learning curve and any programming
required for each individual project. Let's say those costs
total 10 days at $150 per day (ignoring the opportunity cost of
other work @ $300 per day). Now the total cost is $4000, or $.67
per plot. I estimate that data entry from paper, and subsequent
database editing for key entry errors, can be done at the rate
of 30 plots per hour, or $.63 per plot. Maybe it's not such a
bad deal after all...

                    ...Sam
-----------------------------------------------
Samuel J. Radcliffe         Voice: 414-276-2062
George Banzhaf & Company    Fax:   414-276-5206
-----------------------------------------------




[Metla] [Main Index] [Thread Index]

Mail converted by MHonArc 1.1.0