> But if you are an APPLICATION running under Windows, you CANT USE IT.

I didn't know that - it explains everything :(  Well I see Win really
is as bad as it appears to me as a user..

> That's why I moved over to embedded programming- working under the
> Windows structure takes all the fun out of hardware hacking.  Which
> brings us back on topic!  PICs don't have a protected mode, hurrah!

Hehe :-) I moved to embedded programming at the point where I realised
that I spend 95% of my time "just" on the GUI.  Embedded systems usually
have a lot less than that.. (not all though)