Hi Shaun. the error has already been posted here: the one about ERROR [y: this command is not supported] and that's the only thing different in the logs between loading with a script and loading by hand. This shows up in the speechd-up log. The only other thing i know is different is that I don't have a spd-say though my speech-dispatcher works fine both with speechd_up and speechd-el; don't know if I'm missing something or if debian's packages don't include the spd-say command. Thanks. -- Cheryl "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."