I have had both SPIN and IRIS for two years now and have decided to
go with IRIS.  Although I believe that both databases have high
quality information, SPIN costs twice as much as IRIS and IRIS has a
WWW version.  SPIN is promising a WWW version, but they also
promised a Windows version that was to be out over a year ago and I
havent' seen one to date.  We have had several expereices with SPIN
promising a product that isn't delievered when it is supposed to
be.

I met with Aaron Trehaub a few weeks ago when I was in Illinois, and
I was very impressed with what he and Susan Keene have been up to in
the last ten months.  The new telnet version of IRIS is more
intuitive and easier to use than the old version and the WWW version
integrates nicely into our WWW server, reSEARCHnet
(http://researchnet.vprc.asu.edu).

Generally, I think it's nicer to work with a not for profit branch
of a university than with a for profit venture.  I think that IRIS
has solid, well supported products that faculty like.

Jacquie Krones
Research Information Manager
Arizona State University