Hi Graham. Theres a lot of products available in relation to assisitive software. I would like to think that Guide creates a friendly and easy to use environment and allows the user to do the majority of computer related tasks in an easy and trouble free manner. Setting up an outlook express account within windows could seem daunting to some users but within guide you can setup an email account quite easily. There are numerous help pages incase you get confused and help on hand by phone, email, remote support if need be. The whole idea was to create this comfortable operating zone instead of the world of windows which can get confusing for new computer users. If you think in comparison how much a full copy of microsoft office would cost you, and then a screenreader to assist with this. Then who would you turn to for technical support or tuition? Guide uses a lot of microsoft key commands and such as it is compatible with a lot of microsoft applications, eg word, notepad, works. The word processor works in a similar way also. You can save to microsoft word and import other files into Guide. Remember that the product is designed to be easy to use and easy to learn. If you're an advanced computer user then yes your specific needs would require more freedom than Guide offers and a different product would probably be more beneficial. We happily recommend other products to users as I don't think that any one product can be suited to every user. The whole idea is to create an affordable package which can benefit people and assist them in there everyday life. If I know what the individuals needs are then I happily promote which product on the market I think is best suited. Regards Phil. -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Brendan Magill Sent: 29 August 2007 18:58 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: guide from software express Hi Graham, I first saw Guide a couple of years ago and I've learned a good deal about it in the interim. One of the things which bothers me is that, by its provision of alternatives to the standard Windows applications, it must inevitably duplicate a lot of what Microsoft and other large software developers have already done. This means that, based on the potential market for Guide, the package is likely to be less well tested and therefore less reliable than standard Windows applications. It is also likely to render things like web pages in a different way to the standard browsers. Another concern is that, by doing everything in a nonstandard way, as opposed to using standard Windows applications, Guide is segregationalist in its basic philosophy. Surely, it must be better for those of us who are VI to use standard applications wherever this is possible? Guide users will not know about how the rest of the world uses computers and it will be difficult for Guide users to get support from their sighted friends. I understand that the target market for Guide is the older generation of computer users, often people whose vision has deteriorated with age. Whilst it is less likely that these people will have to use other computers which have mainstream software on them, this is not an excuse for them having something so different. Just a few thoughts. Cheers, Brendan. -- BRENDAN MAGILL Business, Employment & Disability Consultancy 8 York Place Worcester WR1 3DR England Phone: +44 (0)1905 28286 Fax: +44 (0)870 127 7856 Web: www.magill.co.uk ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq