A common misconception about computational chemistry is that it is an inexpensive science. This notion is often promulgated by noncomputational chemists who perceive a 510,000 computer to be comparable to a $10,000 chroma-tograph. Many fail to realize, however, that the chromatograph can have a lifetime of 10, 15, or even 20 years, whereas the computer's lifetime is much shorter, requiring frequent updating, upgrading, and even replacement at 3—5 years. While prices for computers have declined over the years, users have generally had a growing appetite for faster, bigger, and more machines, thereby spending more money. In addition, the software, unless it is so widely used that it is almost a commoditv, keeps getting more expensive.