maybe instead of dual boot it would be easier to just have 2 hdd's... one with m$, one w/debian.... otherwise if not , i could come with win98 installed. (or not, i'm still weighing why i even want to do that...) ------------------------ re; *open office* for database: don't have *open office*, have dial up so can't easily get it. i have *abiword*, will check there too. thought maybe someone may have had experience doing a mailmerge type program. i do have *gnumeric*, so maybe i'll try that spreadsheet program. thanks all, betty i -- observare porta non oportet fila domestica visit www.wolfila.homestead.com