[Art]

OK...
I just came across this posting from last year on an automation forum and thought it worth posting here.
YMMV and whether or not to use it or make use of it is up to you.

Anywho...here 'tis:

Vista's default voice is Anna. Anna is a far superior voice to those found on XP (Sam, Mary, Mike). Although there's no installer program for Anna on XP, there is a roundabout way to get it done.

The 60-day trial version of MS Streets and Maps 2010 (huge download: 1.4 Gb) will install Anna on XP.

Before installing the full product, it will install a few support programs including Anna and the associated speech engine.

After it installs the voice, it pauses and lets you abort before proceeding to install the balance of Streets and Maps.

Abort it and, thanks to this loophole, you now have Anna on XP without having to install the full product.

To save you from searching as that can be so tiring and demanding, here: http://www.microsoft.com/streets/en-us/trial.aspx

[photostill]

You know it blows me away at the hacks, cracks, easter eggs, and loopholes people find. One would have never thought that the hidden content that was revealed with the coffee episode would have ever been found in the Rock Star made games. It was after all never exposed to the gamer without it being hacked to find it.

I guess what I am saying is that people seem to wind up exploring every nook and cranny of programs. If you should put on out, you best be sure what's there and what should be gone cause someone is gonna find it if you leave it.

On the other side, people are much more aware of the standard program. I mean here is a glitch to be taken advantage of. But the only people that would really be interested in it are likely not the original finders. As has always been the case, its information seeking either an application or seeking a user audience. In both cases to me it is amazing that the connection is ever made.