to upgrade or not to upgrade...

[Column_Slug]

I just got a 20 year old GC-MS system with chemstation, AMDIS, NIST, etc software for peak searching and then another machine with the same but 10 years old. They are not interchangeable either, one produces varian .ms and other newer varian .sms file type. I don't have a converter.

Should I just learn how to use each separate system, or convert to use just the newer system, or get a modern opensource software and move my libraries over? I'm wondering if new software would have a tech advantage and/or efficiency reasons to switch.

thoughts?

[antonk]

don't fix what not broken

Set up a separate system, copy your libraries there (https://youtu.be/IeTybKL1pM4) and try to use OpenChrom.
and also share your spectra with them http://www.massbank.jp/

[Column_Slug]

Can openchrom or other free program convert .ms <-> .sms?

[Peter Apps]

I don't see the problem - you have the search utilities on both instruments so why would you need to swap files between them ?, search the .ms files on the older machine that produces them and the .sms files on the newer one.

Or are my powers of telepathy failing here ?

If the 10-year old system is a 320MS I'll take it off your hands !!

Peter

[Column_Slug]

The problem is the nut in front of the keyboard.

I was curious in case I just wanted to always use my favorite version. Or consolidate all the files onto one computer to make later searches easier.

(its not a 320MS)