diff --git a/processing/app/PdeEditor.java b/processing/app/PdeEditor.java
index 97b2d8aea..1e433dd92 100644
--- a/processing/app/PdeEditor.java
+++ b/processing/app/PdeEditor.java
@@ -823,33 +823,51 @@ public class PdeEditor extends JPanel {
     openingName = name;
 
     if (sketchModified) {
-      String prompt = "Save changes to " + sketchName + "?";
+      String prompt = "Save changes to " + sketchName + "?  ";
 
       if (checking == DO_QUIT) {
-        Object[] options = { "Yes", "No", "Cancel" };
-        int value = 0;
 
-        value = JOptionPane.showOptionDialog(this,
-                                             prompt,
-                                             "Quit",
-                                             JOptionPane.YES_NO_CANCEL_OPTION,
-                                             JOptionPane.QUESTION_MESSAGE,
-                                             null,
-                                             options, 
-                                             options[2]);
+        int result = 0;
 
-        if (value == JOptionPane.YES_OPTION) {
+        if (PdeBase.platform == PdeBase.MACOSX) {
+          // macosx java kills the app even though cancel might get hit
+          // so the cancel button is (temporarily) left off
+          // this may be treated differently in macosx java 1.4, 
+          // but 1.4 isn't currently stable enough to use.
+          Object[] options = { "Yes", "No" };
+          result = JOptionPane.showOptionDialog(this,
+                                                prompt,
+                                                "Quit",
+                                                JOptionPane.YES_NO_OPTION,
+                                                JOptionPane.QUESTION_MESSAGE,
+                                                null,
+                                                options, 
+                                                options[0]);  // default to save
+
+        } else {
+          Object[] options = { "Yes", "No", "Cancel" };
+          result = JOptionPane.showOptionDialog(this,
+                                                prompt,
+                                                "Quit",
+                                                JOptionPane.YES_NO_CANCEL_OPTION,
+                                                JOptionPane.QUESTION_MESSAGE,
+                                                null,
+                                                options, 
+                                                options[2]);
+        }
+
+        if (result == JOptionPane.YES_OPTION) {
           //System.out.println("yes");
           //System.out.println("saving");
           doSave();
           //System.out.println("done saving");
           checkModified2();
 
-        } else if (value == JOptionPane.NO_OPTION) {
+        } else if (result == JOptionPane.NO_OPTION) {
           //System.out.println("no");
           checkModified2();  // though this may just quit
 
-        } else if (value == JOptionPane.CANCEL_OPTION) {
+        } else if (result == JOptionPane.CANCEL_OPTION) {
           //System.out.println("cancel");
           // does nothing
         }
diff --git a/processing/build/shared/revisions.txt b/processing/build/shared/revisions.txt
index 182886549..33709bf16 100644
--- a/processing/build/shared/revisions.txt
+++ b/processing/build/shared/revisions.txt
@@ -196,6 +196,10 @@ glance through them should help clear things up.
 
 [ known problems, pardon our dust ]
 
+- macosx doesn't provide an option to 'cancel' when it so politely asks
+  if you want to "save changes before quitting?". this is because of
+  weirdness in apple's java that we're trying to straighten out.
+
 - lines with stroke weights that aren't 1 are probably broken.
 
 - single pixel lines still have some problems with drawing over things.
diff --git a/processing/todo.txt b/processing/todo.txt
index 322b2d475..638138920 100644
--- a/processing/todo.txt
+++ b/processing/todo.txt
@@ -255,8 +255,8 @@ dh X   http://proce55ing.net/discourse/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Proce55ing_Software;a
 X notify user when size() is bad
 X   need to use oro matcher when trying to grab the applet size (export?)
 _ open button getting stuck on windows
-_ macosx doesn't listen if 'cancel' is selected for save changes on quit
-_   but windows works fine, so it's a macosx problem
+X macosx doesn't listen if 'cancel' is selected for save changes on quit
+X   but windows works fine, so it's a macosx problem
 
 fixes from toxi 
 X BImage.get() was only grabbing a single line of pixels
@@ -377,10 +377,12 @@ _   (currently cannot because it quits before getting response)
 _   tried to pop up a modal Dialog in exactly the same location
 _     but couldn't remove the decoration from the window (jvm bug?)
 _     because it just quit without finishing
+_ macosx handleQuit forces termination (at least on 1.3)
+_   figure out how to prevent it, and add the 'cancel' button back
 
 
 VOLUNTEER TASKS
-_ need bezierTangent() code
+_ need curveTangent() code
 
 
 INTERNAL