Di, a "talking computer" is basically what Win XP's 'Narrator' programme gives you. There are also many other free 'text-to-speech' programmes available. The big problem is in getting software that works the other way, a Voice Recognition' programme that will let you talk into a microphone and convert your speech into text. There are a very few such programmes and most are not very good. The good ones are expensive. 'Dragon Naturally Speaking' (DNS) is recognised as being one of the better, if not the best of the voice recognition programmes. The cheapest version of DNS is priced at $300 USD or $400 USD with a microphone although it may be cheaper at some discount stores. Although a good quality mic. is required I'm sure they are available for very much less than the $100 USD that DNS ask. IBM used to have a programme called ViaVoice which was considered by many to be almost as good as DNS and quite a bit cheaper too. When they stopped marketing it (circa 2000 I think) they made it free to download but it seems it is no longer available, probably because IBM now have another Voice Recognition programme which is intended for Business use and is very expensive. I'm not sure what programme Tracy uses but it occurs to me that if Johno is now 'legally' blind, i.e. severely vision impaired, which he may well be, perhaps he may be able to get Social Services to pay for it. It would be worth asking. The Royal National Institute for the Blind has info. on degrees of blindness here; http://tinyurl.com/ecjpw Geo. What about a talking computer......would this be just a matter of buying software?? I am thinking like Tracey has DiDi http://photobucket.com/albums/d100/didi_45 G'day, Johno. I'm sorry to hear that your sight has not improved but happy that you are at least regaining your usual positive outlook on life. Always look on the bright side, eh, mate? In case you weren't aware of it, Windows has 'Accessibility' options available to assist folk with impaired vision, etc. and you can also increase the size of text and objects (icons, pictures, etc.) on the screen via the display properties. I expect Cathy can find them for you if necessary but if not, I can send instructions on how to access them. Geo. Hello Dear Friends I have not been in touch for a while but I thought I had better send a note to say that I am still in the land of the living. My number is nowhere near ready to come up yet apparently (according to Cathy and Mary). Healthwise I am about the same. The eyesight continues to deteriorate slowly so that I cannot pick out detail now. Cathy took some photo's of bluebells in nearby woods but I really wasn't able to see anything except a blue and green blur. That is a great pity as bluebells in springtime were one of my favourite sights. I am trying to be positive however but it is not easy. I haven't even been able to say hello to my dear friend Marlene yet but I am hoping to meet up with her this week sometime. I hope you are all well. Love and hugs The Old Boy - Johno