>>>Terry
>>>
>>>PS Is this thread up there with the longest and/or most contentious?
>>
>>Terry,
>>
>>As df said, it's not even close. In fact, I think the whole thread has, in one way or another, been beneficial. Wherever one has to think about what they're doing, it's a help, not a hinderance.
>
>George
>
>That's nice to know. A sort of short-cut-takers' catharsis :-). It seems that most people are in favour of the commands though.
>
Terry,

I certainly wouldn't eliminate them, it'd break too much code for an environment that prides itself on backward compatibility.

OTOH, I've never used them, so if they "...went the way of all flesh" I wouldn't miss them in the least.