James D. Watson's gene sequence: when can the average person afford their own?

Question

The first human genome (gene map) took $3 Billion to complete and 7 years. James D. Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, was recently presented with his own genome map. The cost of doing his was a little under $1 Million, and took about two months. At this rate, when will a genome map be "affordable" for the average person based on the current rate of progression towards getting a faster cheaper genome map?

To KBW3: The first person was Craig Ventner. He had access to the machinery, and took advantage of it. As to them all being the same, that is NOT true. If it were, we would all be female or male, all have blue eyes, etc. The differences are subtle, but can be very significant, like susceptibility to certain cancers - they are NOT the same. A genome is probably the best medical diagnostic tool that anybody could have in regards to lifetime health care.

Answer 1

The Human Genome project has spawned off into the HapMap project, who's goal is to reduce the cost of sequencing an entire individuals genome to under $1000. Researching this article might provide you more information as to what timeline they have.

Answer 2

I've had a hard enough time finding a printout of the original genome. I forget whose it was...supposedly some early genetic researcher, according to Watson. But what I don't understand is why anyone would want his own, especially if it costs so much. The map is the same for everybody. Who's actually going to look at the differences in nucleotide sequences? Who actually cares if some section of the R2D2 gene on your 8th chromosome goes CGGTATGA and mine goes GATCCTGT? Having the map of the whole gene sequence is what's cool.