SIMION for the personal computer in reflection

This article is a reflective overview of the origins, history, and capabili ties of the ion optics simulation program SIMION for the PC (versions 2.0-7 .0) from the author's perspective. It provides insight into the rationale a nd events that contributed to the direction of the evolution and current ca pabilities of the program. The capabilities of version 7.0 are presented al ong with tests of its computational accuracy. Future developmental areas ar e discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.