http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php/topic,5895.15.html
I think Tom refers to this "debate" to which I'd like to see the actual formulas used in each, if someone knows them for certain.
Logically, either one formula is just wrong, which seems improbable to me, or it's two different approaches, which I posted as a possibility, and no one said whether I was grossly wrong.
To me, having a user-defined "growth factor" makes little sense for most people. How would I use or set that? It seems more logical to embed the actual known/estimated growth rates for simple, shaken, stir plate, etc., and have the tool figure out the number of cells that will happen given the method used. Brewers typically use full packages and one method, so those two are usually fixed. The package viability (based on age) and the starter method are the "variables" but their factors are generally agreed upon.
Volume of starter fluid, beginning number of cells less viability lost, times growth factor of method...................what else is there?