I'm sorry if this is a simple question, but why does csh do a nice(20); nice(-10); before setting the nice value you want? Thanks in advance, -- From the virtual mind of Allyn Fratkin sdcsvax!allyn at Nosc UCSD Pascal Project {ucbvax, decvax, ihnp4} U.C. San Diego !sdcsvax!allyn "Generally you don't see that kind of behavior in a major appliance."