- > hmm... >> maybe Java needs 'delete'?... As in "maybe the pope needs a wife"? :-) Automatic garbage collection means you don't know when garbage will be collected, it could even be "after the VM exits", i.e. never. Running all finalizers when the VM exits has been tried, and it was a disaster. http://www.velocityreviews.com/forums/t145751-finalize-not-guaranteed-to-be-called-ever.html http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Hans_Boehm/popl03/slides.pdf etc.. PS I'm happy to report that the Mika VM also does not run your finalizer. :-) Chris Gray /k/ Embedded Java Solutions _________________________________________ Scarlet Mobile, free subscription in combination with your Scarlet One or ADSL, visit http://www.scarlet.be/fr/mobile3g