Anne,
Sorry I missed this topic when you posted it. I don't know how that happened. I read EVERYTHING.
I have Wizard's Virtual Framer and also Frameshop Pro. (I hope I got the names right. I'm home right now.) Wizard's product works with their print and poster database and is, at the very least, a lot of fun. How useful it would be depends in part on whether the mouldings and mats in the database are representative of what you actually use. Some of the lines included are L-J, Williamson and Nurre Caxton. There are no metals. As far as I can see, there is no way for a mere mortal to add additional mouldings or mats. You can play with mats and frames on any of the prints and view them in a variety of room settings, but I don't think you could could add your own room. This software is on a subscription system with updates sent quarterly. There is no attempt to incorporate pricing or order-writing capabilities. It is design software only. I've never used it with a customer in the store. I <U>have</U> used it to set up design bids to email to out-of-town clients.
When The Diva is at my shop, she will play with Virtual Framer for hours, experimenting with mat combinations and proportions and various frames on prints she likes. Then we talk about her design choices and she prints out her favorites. It is an outstanding learning tool and you wouldn't have to be 14 to learn from it. With this software and a copy of Nona Powers' book you could probably learn more about color and design than half the "framers" out there know.
The Frameshop Pro software has a much smaller database of mats and mouldings, but does have a procedure to add additional ones yourself. I haven't done that, but it appears it could be extremely time-consuming. This one is a one-time purchase and you are responsible for your own "updates." It does have a built-in pricing program which is a lot less sophisticated than the one I developed for MS Works (he says modestly.)
You are probably correct to be concerned about color accuracy, but I haven't found this to be a big problem. You don't use this software to make exact color decisions, but to get an idea of the finished frame and mat without having to actually build the *** thing.
You need a DVD reader to use the Wizard software, at least with the impressive database of prints and posters. FrameShop Pro runs off a CD or it could probably be installed on the hardrive.
That's about as much detail as I can muster without the software in front of me.
Ron