EO> I'd think a major downside to changing the source to customize your
EO> system is that if you wanted to upgrade to a newer version of WWIV, you'd
EO> have to re-apply
EO> your customizations to the code (and then test it again to ensure your
EO> changes work in the new version). And in some cases, the author's code
EO> may change so much that it might be very difficult to apply your
EO> customizations again.

Totally agree - and now you know why I'm still technically running WWIV 4.24a
over here.  I think almost everyone else is running WWIV 5.0 but me.  

I went through some major pain on each WWIV upgrade back in the day.  Re-adding
 mods, most others wrote but some I wrote.  So many that I don't remember what
is stock and what isn't anymore.

When WWIV 4.30 came out, I found it easier to take what I wanted from WWIV 4.30
 and add it to my 4.24a.  

Having the source code gives you the ultimate flexibility, but it doesn't come
without it's own set of issues.  You just hit one one of the major ones!

- Mark

--- WWIVToss v.1.51 
 * Origin:  http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (1:261/1304.0)