The standard is correct. The portable C compiler allows (e.g.) f() { int static a; char register *b; } I'll admit it *looks* odd.... -- In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (+1 301 454 4251) UUCP: seismo!umcp-cs!chris CSNet: chris at umcp-cs ARPA: chris at maryland