Publication of the human genome sequence on February 12 signaled the end of the draft phase of the public and private sequencing efforts. Analysis of the assemblies generated by the public Human Genome Project (HGP) (Nature 409, 860, 2001) and Celera Genomics (Rockville, MD) (Science 291, 1304, 2001) confirms they are of similar size (2.9 Gb containing 30,000–40,000 genes) and contain comparable numbers of unique stretches. Even so, there are differences in the chromosomal location of certain genes, indicating anomalies arising from the different assembly methods and insufficient coverage of different chromosome regions. Unlike the free, unrestricted availability of the HGP data, Celera's data will remain on the company's website, with relatively strict conditions of access: researchers will be able to download up to one megabase per week (downloading the entire sequence under this arrangement would take about 56 years), but can download longer stretches of sequence if they provide a nonredistribution statement signed by an institutional representative detailing the noncommercial nature of their research. Commercial users wishing to access the data for verification purposes must execute a material transfer agreement or buy a subscription/license.