I'm evaluating ScreenSteps for my daughters' use in school projects. It's a cool application, but it doesn't appear to have any document review functions.

For example, Microsoft Word's reviewing functions include change tracking by author—a way to identify changes by special formatting. Even more important is the "New comment" feature, which enables a reviewer to enter comments that explain why he made certain changes in his review of the document.

Change tracking is not absolutely necessary, but the ability to add review comments is indispensable. I actively participate in my daughters' education. Both are homeschooled, although the eldest is now taking college courses. She's the one for whom I'm evaluating the software, but I can already see how we can use it as a great tool in our computer skills curriculum for both kids. I review most of their work...usually late at night while they're sleeping. The ability to add reviewer's comments would be a great plus for that purpose.

If that function is already in ScreenSteps, I apologize for missing it. I'm writing this after only a couple of hours of playing with the application.

My other questions are about saving and backing up. The File menu contains no Save or Save As... functions. I presume that means that everything is automatically committed to the Library data file (for saving), and that the various Export functions perform in a way that's roughly equivalent to the Save As... function in most applications. However, I have to ask the following question simply because of my experience with other applications; what happens to the work in any given session if ScreenSteps (or the system) crashes? Is the Library file protected? I don't see a backup Library file. Does the application write all changes to the Library file instantly?

Hopefully, you get the idea I'm driving at here. In one sense, it's cool that you don't have to remember to save your work. I can't count the number of times that I've lost many hours of work because I forgot to save as I was going, and then something happened that locked up the application (or the system), and I had to force quit or force reboot. If I haven't remembered to save while I was working, then everything since the last save is gone. Aaarrrggghhh!!! So, the fact that there's no Save function in ScreenSteps is perhaps a mixed blessing.

In any case, my question is, what happens to the work I've done if the app or the system hangs? I know..."It depends" is probably the most truthful answer, but I'm trying to get a handle on how the software behaves under a very practical, real-world condition. Any insight anyone can provide will be most helpful.

I have to commend bluemango for writing a great application. It's very intuitive. I was able to create a dummy manual with stubbed lessons and then go back and flesh out the lessons with ease. Nothing serious, but enough to figure out how the application works. I also applaud your making the trial fully functional. If I'm going to use an application "for real" then I'm bloody well going to pay for it. But the only way to tell is to use it, and that means it has to work. Crippled demos are useless.

Thanks!