In which case, enlist the help of someone who is in the know - it will be quicker and more reliable.

I can read and write music (on paper or on computer) as if it were a spoken language, but appreciate that others cannot. However, it isn't as difficult to learn as some might have you think - going about it the right way will simplify matters a great deal.

For notation I use a very old version of Cakewalk (Pro v3), which dates back to Windows 3.1... I tried upgrading to v6, but didn't get on with it - and I find Noteworthy far too 'clunky' in comparison.

I'd say a beginner would find it far more intuitive than many other programmes seem to be - you simply choose the duration of note from a toolbar, then point and click the mouse where the note is to go. You can then click and drag the note around if it's not quite right - and you hear the note sound as you do it.

You can also right-click on the note to change its length and/or pitch. With a little perseverance you'll get the hang of note durations.

The installation file's small enough to email (fits on one floppy) so you can give it a go - PM me if you'd like a copy and basic set-up instructions - but be aware that it may take me a few days to get around to it with the current workload!

As with any software, finding what you need takes a little searching, but once you learn that 'view' - 'new' - 'staff' is the way to see notation on screen, the rest is a breeze. You are, however, limited to the 8.3 DOS filename structure which can be a pain when you forget!