Hi, With MS having bought "softimage" a few years ago, you can safely assume that they do want to be your default 3D editor, or at least they would if we counted as "real" users, (as in the type that pay yearly maintenence) as opposed to hobbyists... As for the "slight" on British mags, I saw none, I was just interested in why you thought so :) Though the reason for the "laddish" humour is because most British magazines that sell directly to an almost exclusively male audience, have always been this way. It started with the "originators" (IMO) at "your Sinclair" (or possibly "your spectrum" I forget, it was a long time ago :) and continues today with game console magazines. Many of whom get complaints from angry mothers and fathers when they find out what their kids are reading :) (since the content is aimed at male's in the late 20's early 30's bracket) I would also imagine it has something to do with the "cuture" of male banter in this country, where the most offensive swear word in the language is something you'd use as a fraternal greeting with your best mates. (or just before you knife your enemies :) This is the UK, where innuendo is your friend and there's nothing so funny as a fart joke. Though I think your doing yourself a disservice is all you read is future stuff, try some of the independants, they do far better, (far less populist) stuff. As for the magazines for "other" OS's that because the Brits love an underdog, and love to slag off the top dog, (even if they don't deserve it) it's what sells papers. The 64Mb thing is a more vexed one though. Yes memeory is cheap, but having worked in computer shops I can tell you with confidence that while people will happily buy something to plug into a vacant port, they are loathe to open the box and peer inside. Those that read the magazine's may do to a greater extent, but there are many more people that own computers than buy the magazines, and it's those that have to buy Xp for it to be a success, hence the emphasis on selling "new" boxes that come pre-installed. Personaly, I don't think that it's going to work in the current ecconomic climate, and niether does Gartner (the IT consulting group) more's the point. Even Balmer is advising companies still rolling out W2K to continue doing so and ignore Xp. later jb