You might take a look around over at: www.PInvoke.net If the standard Win32 DLLs were Type Libraries you could simply use the Type Library Importer to convert them to .NET assemblies (TlbImp.exe, it lives in the Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio .NET folder). Most people just use the Win32 functions in their code by using the DllImport attribute before the function declaration. You must add the line "using namespace System::Runtime::InteropServices;" to your code, and the DLLImport attribute requires that you supply a String object, for instance, "User32.dll" as a parameter. You could, of course, do this for the entire DLL, but, it would keep you busy for awhile. http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/cpref/html/frlrfsystemruntimeinteropservicesdllimportattributeclasstopic.asp[^] I think the reasoning behind the Interop method has to do with Type safety by the managing CLR.

Mike, I appreciated your response. I'll look into your suggestions. Thanks, Rich

Good point, I actually agreed that C# will have a strong place in *everyday* programming duties. But speed matters for killer-standalone-applications (Word, photoshop, 3dsmax), which the average user still uses 75% of time and i think they won't be rewritten from C++ (or any other compiled language) at all without a striking reason ... as soon as .NET services are the killer applications ;-) of course, things will look different. But _still_ one could use managed c++ to fully profit from the .NET advantages. that's what I call freedom. small -> middle sized Apps starting from scratch and allready targeted for .NET and the next generation of developers (students etc) will tend to use C# for their apps. of course no brochure ever read "written in the fastest language" available, C++, but the opposite (not fast enough) would be a knock-out criteria: A creepy slow app that doesn't ever get a brochure... java clients :-)

Three reasons to use ATL 1/ It means you can do the GUI in VB if you absolutely must. 2/ You'll be able to hold your head up at parties when people ask what you used instead of muttering it and hoping no-one hears 3/ You'll end up with a reusable cross language component. Christian After all, there's nothing wrong with an elite as long as I'm allowed to be part of it!! - Mike Burston Oct 23, 2001

Just a bit. Its nice to know that so many people are into it. I checked out some of the recommended sites, and can't belive how big some of those 'home' telescopes are. Some of them must be quater of a ton with all the metal that goes into the stands. As I live in London, I don't think something for the garden is what I need. I would like to get about the biggest portable that will go in the car, so I can get into the sticks and get some good light. Saying that, maybe I should buy a house in the sticks, and go for that 16 inch monster, with a dome and all. I think I posted the question one evening before going to bed, and the next day I was up early to go visit some people for a few days. Everyone thoughts were much appreciated, and gave me a pretty good starting point. Having thought about it, I would really like to have a go at the photography side of it which was why I was thinking digital cameras. Giles