Following the huge and sustained fall in value of the UK Pound against other leading world currencies trading has proved increasingly difficult for Mistral Associates.

It comes as a surprise to many people, especially those adhering to the myth that software developers have a 'Licence to Print Money', but the fact remains that software development is an extremely hazardous business to be in. Margins are very small and the risks very high. Explaining perhaps the reason why over 90% of all software companies cease trading or go bust within their first five years following start-up. There are exceptions of course. Microsoft Corporation, (and with no fear of accusations of libel!) with their dubiously ethical trading practices are one. Social media software companies are others. Though many of these are actually only supported by overly optimistic stock brokers and have actually yet to make any profit at all! Just to remind everyone. The 'Dot Com' crash of the late twentieth century was no myth. That was FACT!

Mistral Associates are different though. Although occupying a clearly even more hazardous 'niche market' sector Mistral has been successful since inception over a third of a century ago, and where its imitators and plagiarists have all largely since disappeared. Why? Lots of reasons. Not the least of which is the high quality of its product and service but also its dogged refusal to diversify and finally its celebrated very fair pricing policy.

Do you remember Mistral's promise?

Well we are afraid that the 'subject only to inflation' time has come. A whole twenty five years after our last major price review, and in the light of the disastrous effect the Brexit debacle has had on the value of the Pound, we now have no choice but to increase our selling prices if we are to remain in business.

Please also do note that even with these new prices access to the world's most comprehensive Expert Software System for the Refrigeration & Air Conditioning industry, and certainly the best maintained and easiest by far to use, remains at only a few pence/cents per day, or even less, per user!

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Boss: "I feel as though I'm a mushroom."

Boss's PA: "Why?"

Boss: "Because I'm kept in the dark and everyone keeps throwing s**t at me!"

Well now you don't have to be kept in the dark. At least not as far as how to help mushrooms keep their cool.

Resulting from a couple of recent requests for help from valued clients a piece of research conducted by Mistral revealed that more than just a few users of Coldwind Pro have helped mushroom growers' businesses over the years. And whilst the thermal properties of mushrooms have been included in Mistral's Coldwind Pro's 'Food Products' databases for decades, the medium mushrooms are cultivated in has not.

Further research revealed that right across Europe and North America, what is described as Mushroom Compost generally consists of similar ingredients. That is:- Alfalfa hay, Cattle or horse manure, Corn stalks, Oat straw, Poultry litter, Sawdust and wood shavings, Silage, Soil, Soybean, Wheat straw. Naturally there are regional variations and also varying proportions of ingredients. However the basic principal and composition of the compost mixture is roughly the same.

Mass (weight in kilograms per cubic metre) turns out to be generally around 370 kg/m³. Much lower than for damp soil for example and which can be as high as 1,700 kg/m³

Mistral has therefore been able to estimate 'mean (high) average' properties for mushroom compost and which should be safe for all practical commercial purposes. This data has now been added to Coldwind Pro's Food Properties database; under the 'Miscellaneous' group heading.

Cost to Mistral of researching, compiling and proving database edit: Over 800 Euros.

No charge update for all Mistral 'Corporate' Licensees:- Corporate Update link
A new Corporate Access Registration Code may be required for older installations (8 weeks +) but this will be automatically forwarded when required.

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