*nod*...thanks for the extra 'clarification', John...*grin*...I see that it ain't easy to have EVERYTHING you might want working at one time...but with the hints and programs noted, most casual users should be able to do the common tricks and get the standard 128 characters.

I seldom need the more arcane stuff..(I seem to remember managing to get some weird font to work by changing the default character set once, but it was just experimenting, and not something I needed)

I, personally, am wondering if they'll get Linux into an easily configurable mode before I have to buy into Microsoft's more 'advanced' systems which do more things, but compromise user control and freedom. I read what I can, and stick with WIN98 for the nonce, as I am NOT a developer and do not need to be "on the cutting edge".

I have newsgroups I read and web site I look at where folks FAR more knowlegeable than me discuss it al...and right here at Mudcat, you and Mark and several others provide useful advice.

I am a funny sort...I cant do much more than change the oil in a car, but I can DRIVE anything...truck, sports car, etc......and the same with computers. I can't program and barely recognize the insides of the box, but I can tweak, follow directions, find tools, do searches and work out fixes for problems that have probably saved us many hundreds of $$$$ in the past few years...(crashes, 'safe mode', lost files, etc....)...

I may overdo the suggestions about little programs to do this & that (who NEEDS 4 different file managers?*wry grin*), but sometimes it seems like the only way to be sure of having enough, is to have a little too much!

Maybe it comes from growing up in Kansas, hmmm?