thanks blackjack.. I had surmised from previous threads that this had been a netscape-based issue - and I'm a Bill Gates groupie, so except for the sound issue in windows, I hadn't had any problems through all this. So if it's a server capacity problem, and not a software conflict problem, that's another thing - but I'm not convinced that's what it is.. seems were that the case, I'd have more difficulty loading the front page.. it loads well and quickly.. it's only when you select a particular forum or thread that it hangs.. now that would be when the database gets tapped, so maybe it's a db server or db issue ? Mysterious..