The latest version of Sibelius-Sibelius Student-is everything you could ask for in beginning music notation software. It is definitely geared most for that "in-between" musician-the one who already knows how to read and write music (and so is too advanced for the early elementary music software such as MusicACE), who is looking for an easier method of writing music (but isn't quite ready for the full version of Sibelius or the more advanced software, such as Finale, or anything requiring full MIDI input). While the distributors say it can be used for students as young as 10, I would not give it to anyone under the age of 14, unless they are demonstrating real musical genius. It is most certainly a tool rather than a toy. The software is easy to understand and figure out. It has an excellent "Quick Tour" to familiarize the user with the various functions, and comes with a good, basic, instruction manual. Once you have the basics down (and this took me about 2 hours, without using the Quick Start) it is very easy to use. There are four different input methods: mouse, keyboard, step-time MIDI input and Flexi-time (real-time) MIDI input. There are a few quirky things about the software, which could confuse the beginning user, and seemingly have no explanation. A few terrific features include how simple it is to enter trickier things, such as triplets or expression markings, and how quickly and accurately it can transfer a MIDI file into score form. One of the best things about Sibelius Student is that the price is right. At only $99, it is a heck of a deal, especially when compared with the full version at $599, or Finale at $600 or Encore at $400. However, it does seem to be a very simplified program, and should compare more to Music ACE, priced at between $50 and $80. However, be warned that this software comes with a disclaimer. It has a waiver you need to sign saying that you are a full-time student at a fully accredited institution. Purchase by others is prohibited. This seems particularly unfortunate, because even adult composers can still be considered music "students" if they are just beginning to use notation software.