SGMS Meeting 2000

Qualitative Interpretation of Mass Spectra: Still Needed?

F. Friedli
MSP-Frieli, Koeniz, Switzerland

The focus in the development of efficient tools to assist the mass spectroscopist in the interpretation of mass spectra has significantly changed during the past decade. In older days of computing the sheer need to process large quantities of data was a sufficiently sound base to trigger the development of mass spectral data systems and the associated spectra libraries. Despite of the comparably enormous cost! Today's fast and cheap hardware equipment opens the possibilities of data treatment largely. Unfortunately the programming cost did not get less expensive on a field where the circle of users remains confined. A program package that wants to be successful has to reflect the total needs of the community of users and rarely any single user will profit in full from all the features such software offers.

In presenting the example of the MassLib software an attempt is done to give a summary of requirements modern software for mass spectra handling and interpretation has to match. As new techniques appear in fast succession, the program suite evolves into an open and adaptive tool set. As shown by recent enhancements, MassLib’s further development gets more than ever driven by the needs of the community of its users.