Well, I just felt I had to jump in here and say, YES, I think it is perfectly appropriate and OK to ask for a quote so you can think about it for a year. In fact, I did that two years ago, when I stopped in at Optechs Digital here in Seattle, after reading the piece Dubovoy did on the Alpa TC. A year later, I got a follow-up email, and I replied that I was still thinking about it, as I was, and reading everything I could, and trying to decide what my next investments in equipment should be. We are now two years later and I am still thinking about it. Of course, in the meantime, the real cost in dollars has gone up as the value of the dollar relative to the Swiss franc has gone down. I do expect to give my business to Optechs when and if I decide to take the plunge. I've refined my knowledge and thinking about this enterprise, so the time hasn't been wasted. I'm reminded of the poster who bought an Alpa system, then was disappointed that he couldn't enjoy focusing on the ground glass the way he had hoped to, so was going to sell his system not long after the purchase. It is a big enough purchase (for sure!!) that one would like to avoid a mistake. And we all have our own methods and preferences. So yes, just go ahead and get a good idea of what everything would cost you and then think about it! --Barbara