Hi Lenny, I'm not sure if David is talking about the same one, but the Microsoft Encarta software that comes on my computer that is a demo is web based, and very easy to use.
What it does is take you to the Microsoft Encarta page on the internet, where you can do a search for what ever you want after you log in. You'll have to set up your account, as it lasts for one year from the date of registration, and it's very detailed. Some of it's features you have to be a premium member to access, such as some of the magazine articles section, and some other areas that I don't remember right about now. The other thing is that it won't notify you that your subscription is almost up, so one day when you really need it, it just won't come up, and you'll be left hanging. At the same time, one must realize what else is out there that you can access that is completely free and easier to navigate. two that come readily to mind is Wickopeadia and the Google search engine. Both of these sites will get you information on what ever your heart might desire, and it's completely free, so you don't have to worry about a lapse in your registration. Smile. I have an opinion, and remember, this is just an opinion, on some of the other programs you mentioned. In terms of the picture editing software, Picture studio and the Jasks software, unless you have some residual sight, I don't see much need for these pictures. Truth be told, the only reason I have such software on my computers, laptop and desktop, is because my sighted wife uses them, and occasionally she'll print some pictures for my daughter or herself, otherwise, I really wouldn't need it. The other item of interest that I must have with any computer I own, is Microsoft Front Page. This is very accessible software, not 100% but enough that I can use it well, and allows me to delete extraneous stuff off of a web page that I don't need to see when I save a copy of the web page to my computer. For example, if you find a web site on the internet that has loads of information, such as a how to manual on your favourite car repair, but you've got 750 links on it before you can actually get to the manual part of it, then you can highlight the 750 links before that manual, delete it, then save it again on your hard drive so that only the manual is there. It also helps you if you have a web site similar to David's where you post up important information, and you don't want people to have to wade through a ton of links when they view your articles. The best part is, the page will still contain all your formatting, so there won't be any need to have to go through the thing just to make it look nice. The last program I wanted to comment on was the Xerox program. This program would depend heavily on where you find it. If it is in your Start menu, then I'm not sure why it's there, however, if you are finding it on your c:\program files\Xerox, and it contains one folder init called mwwia, and it is empty, then it doesn't matter what you do with this file folder, Windows will just recreate it if you try to delete it. This folder is apparently a temporary folder for Windows print items and can't be deleted, unless you do special things through the registry and other parts of Windows. If it makes you feel any better, this is apparently a bug from the Windows NT platform that got translated into the XP platform when everything was upgraded, and Windows released XP. In any case, if what you are referring to is the latter, on your hard disk, then it really doesn't matter what you do with it, Windows will always recreate it. What the former is, a program in the start menu, is really dependant on what it actually does. It could be a component of the software that came with your printer or scanner, if you have one, and may compose part of the devices utilities. Whether you need it or not will also depend on whether it comes up when ever you press one of the buttons on your scanner, or what type of printer you have. If it's a laser printer, it might very well be a Xerox, or one of it's subsidiary printers, in which case, it came bundled with the printer software. Lastly, and this will go for any of the other programs I didn't mention, you'll have to judge for yourself whether you want to keep them or not. This will encompass a large number of factors, such as how much space you have on your hard drive. If you've only got a ten gigabyte drive, then space is of utmost concern, and you can use every bit you can gain from deleting files. On the other hand, if you've got a 150 or greater hard drive, which I believe is the standard with new Dell models, then space isn't really a factor, as you can forego the 10 or so megabytes of space those programs take up. Another fact is whether these programs are accessible with what ever assistive technology you are currently using, magnification, screen reader or Braille display. If it is, to some degree, you might want to check out it's ease of use, how much you can realistically use without sacrificing your nerves in the process, smile, and if it's anything a blind person would reasonably be able to use as an occasional program. If you can't do any of these things, then I really don't see any reason to keep them, and would get rid of them. You might also want to give Dell a call, because if it came ready installed on the computer when you got it, then they would have a better idea on whether these programs are crucial to your system, what they actually do on your system, and whether you can delete them or not. I hope this helps you decide on whether you need the stuff or not, and if it doesn't, I hope it gives you some ideas on other options you have. 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