I have Guide and TheSky (Software Bisque). I find that Guide handles the
USNO database much more efficiently. I regularly display this data using
Guide. With TheSky, it is another story altogether. When the option is set
to display USNO stars, it is like my computer is filled with molases.
Therefore I regularly run TheSky with the USNO stars turned off. Also, for
finding asteroids, TheSky cannot compare with Guide.

In my humble opinion, Guide is the far better stand-alone program. However,
I often use TheSky when doing CCD photography because of the neat interface
with CCDSoft. If I find an object with TheSky, then the CCDSoft image will
automatically be stamped with RA & DEC pulled from TheSky. Also there are a
couple of neat add-on's. TPoint improves pointing accuracy, and works
seamlessly with TheSky, and there is a scripting program, Orchestrate, that
I am learning to use, and which can automate much CCD observing--I do
primarily supernova search. So, while TheSky cannot hold a candle to Guide
in many respects, the other programs that work seamlessly with it make it
attractive.

I usually run both programs: using TheSky to point the telescope and
acquire the image (via CCDSoft) and Guide to display USNO stars and RealSky
images to compare what I have just taken with past images of the same
galaxy.

Pat Madden