Well if you are looking for a Java IDE try Net Beans 5.0 or Java Studio Enterprise 8. Personally i think they are much more better than VS 05 (Even though there was a good improvement from the earlier version 03). once you are quite familiar with the IDE and the shourtcuts offered you wont change it for any thing, shourtcuts like (ctrl + shift + f) auto arrange the coding, (alt + shift + f) import the packages that you are using (unlike VS you need to list them down.), most of the commond words used have abriviations as well ex: psvm + space = public static void main(String[] args){}, Psfs + space = public static final String. (there is a PDF file in the help menu to list you all these and the shoutcuts etc). the only drawback i found in java is the creation of a GUI. while in VS it is a drag and drop process in Java it is not that easy. altough the IDEs mention above offer a drag and drop funtion i don't sugest it alot. but when you get used to it you can develop much much more things than in .NET (with all the respect :)) for any help about classes and other things conserning java consult: - java.sun.com (It is the bible for Java) - http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing/components/componentlist.html (All of the GUI features are here) Hope that u will enjoy your time on Java, at the begining it quite difficult and hard (i used to swear badly) but once you get used to it its ok Keithrick Buhagiar info@the-unpredictables.tk