...says Jim Choate from the bowels of my kill file. I believe I was talking about his doctorate, which, I think you'll see, was in fact given to him on the strength of his already published work, by a school in which he wasn't enrolled. I would call that, no matter the rigor attached to the degree and the quality of the school handing it out -- both of which were considerable, if I remember -- an "honorary" doctorate. As honorary degrees go, the Swiss school which did confer a doctorate upon Einstein, and upon Diffie as well, I think, was supposed to be about the best one you can get. Cheers, Bob Hettinga ----------------- Robert A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@philodox.com> Philodox Financial Technology Evangelism <http://www.philodox.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'