TOPS-10 and RSTS (and RT-11) echo the keystrokes as they occur, while RSX and VMS echo when the read occurs. Ah, I never thought about it before, but that's very profound and clearly true. And easily demonstrated too - do some command on VMS that takes a minute to execute, and then type ahead. You won't see anything echoed. On TOPS10 in the same circumstance, you will. I don't remember offhand how TOPS20 behaved (it's been too many years ago). Bob