I am by no means a Linux, or Windows, expert. I am a Linux (and Windows) user and while I personally think Linux is the best thing since sliced bread it still poses problems. For one; installing software. It is a pain. You have to unzip your tarballs, unpackage your RPMs and whatever else you do with Debian and start installing. In many cases you have to compile the source code and then install the binaries. (If I am understanding the process right.) Under Windows it was usualy a simple process. You got your file 'bloatware.exe' you double-clicked on it and presto it was going. Note: I am not saying that the Windows method was better, only that it was easier. For a newbie (Myself and those you want to convert to Linux) this is a stumbling block. I understand why compiling the sourcecode is better and why the whole process is better, but there has to be a way of automating the whole thing, neh? Is it that impossible to have an application or utility that has all the steps on a visual interface? I can't imagine so, I remember being able to make simple enough batch files in MS-DOS in the late eighties, these files could handle batch jobs such as Formatting, labeling and copying certain files. Of course it is possible that I am completely off base here, but isn't the process for installing software under linux (compiling, installing and 'make clean') really a batch process? If Linux is to take become a more serious contender there has to be a concerted effort to make it easily accessible for the newbie. I still can't install the Java Runtime Environment and it is ticking me off. (Open Office needs Java.) A Stranger in a Strange LUG Samir M. Nassar RedConcepts.NET