Bast, I think we're essentially saying the same thing, but approaching from different angles. I only wanted to point out that, while it's true we shouldn't be playing lawyers - it's also important not to oversimplify. I am very hesitant to boil down ANY legal issue to a number, because it encourages people to toe the line. That's not what we're about here... It's safer to just say, "Hands off," unless you have permission from the original artist. I think anyone who works (or plays) as an artist should have a knowledge of the basics of copyright: what it is, what it does, what is fair use, what is a derivative work. It may not make us better artists, but it will make us more aware of the consequences of "borrowing" others' work. Copyright law is much too elastic for the layperson to have a firm handle on it, but a knowledge of the foundation gives us the knowledge with which to grow. Chad: very good distinction on software code. -sk