Mike Brenner makes a good case for developing for text-based environments. Let me add my own observations. Window-based environments and pointing devices frequently reduce productivity rather than enhancing it. The vast majority of people who use computers for their daily work do not, repeat NOT, need a windowing environment. Those of us who do more creative work such as programming or graphic design tend to be oblivious the to reality of the person who spends each work day doing one set of task. As an example, consider the order-entry clerk in a wholesale distribution company. This clerk spends the day accessing a data base, answering phoned-in orders, entering information on a video display terminal and, sometimes, printing warehouse picking lists. When we put a windowing system in front of them, with all the possible associated applications, mouse buttons, etc. we slow them down. The reduce productivity is partly because of the proliferations of choices. Another example is a medical transcription technician. All day long this person listens to physicians dication tapes and keys in whatever the physician has dictated. This is a specialized field in which the transcriber has a knowledge of medical terminology. It is helpful to be able to pop up some kind of dictionary from time to time but this does not require something as complex as windows. One could easily list hundreds of other occupations where windowing is not only unecessary but detrimental to actual productivity. For such applications it makes sense to develop for text-based video display terminals. Richard Richard Riehle [log in to unmask] AdaWorks Software Engineering Suite 30 2555 Park Boulevard Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 328-1815 FAX 328-1112