Here's my take, and I think I've said it before - though a while back - it's not specific to *nix, but my *nix experience (hobby though it was) has helped in most everything I've done. I've played around on Unix (then linux) since 1991 - mainly user stuff, but you pick up a thing or two - especially if you have friends (or in my case husband as well) who is a Unix admin. When I made the move to IT professionally (and now into software development) from secretarial work, I made sure I was involved in every computer related project (or in fact, WAS the computer related project) at my company - it was small, so it worked well - so I had some admin (tiny, but there) , some installation and configuration, but most importantly troubleshooting..I then did a fairly extensive job search which did take nearly a month. I found a firm (consulting) who was able to read between the lines and see the difference between what was on paper (sparse) and how I could relate my knowledge (definitely more) - they got me into a helpdesk position at a higher level than any other company was willing to bet on me for, and managed to move into other areas fairly quickly (a heck of a lot quicker than I would have ever thought) - because I wanted to go into programming, had done a little bit of development professionally now (very sparse) and had a programming course under my belt, I started my next job search a month and a half before my contract ended...and found another company that was willing to take the risk because they truly felt and believed that I was willing, ready, and capable of learning, quickly, efficiently, and could apply that knowledge. I've been in my new job for almost a month, and already I've proven their initial risk a good one. And like Mr. Zibowski, I too had been told that I was underexperienced and overqualified at the same time at one position...it was actually something I'd run into with more than a couple of positions during this last job search *chuckle*... Good luck - and keep plugging away - honestly - if you're new, being flexible, and willing and able to adapt to any system is far more important than looking for that one golden job in a *nix environment - if you get into a large company, find a way to get involved in *nix projects or at least test boxes. If you're in a small company, find a way to include linux - Ah yes, with regards to Windoze - well...it's life and it's out there - and I've designed a system that was 100% windoze even though my preference was to install linux because it would be cheaper, better, etc...but BUSINESS needs dictated a system that could be self-administered with minimal outside help - especially since I was leaving the company and wouldn't be an in-house resource at a company where while there are more than a couple biotech gurus, not one of which I would consider computer savvy at all - and all largely uncomfortable with computers in general. I've remained on as network/system consultant on an on-call/hourly/as-needed basis. It's now been over a year and a half since I implemented the system. I've received somewhere around 6 calls and they handle most of their stuff - the stuff I've been called in on have been software upgrade installations...NO, it's not my preference, but sometimes business needs do require it. Take care, Liz Burke-Scovill -- Imagination is intelligence having fun... e-mail: kethry at winternet.com URL: http://WWW.winternet.com/~kethry/index.html