diff --git a/processing/app/PdeBase.java b/processing/app/PdeBase.java
index 8de8374af..74d924214 100644
--- a/processing/app/PdeBase.java
+++ b/processing/app/PdeBase.java
@@ -118,12 +118,6 @@ public class PdeBase extends Frame
 
 
   static public void main(String args[]) {
-    try {
-      UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
-    } catch (Exception e) { 
-      e.printStackTrace();
-    }
-
     //System.getProperties().list(System.out);
     //System.out.println(System.getProperty("java.class.path"));
 
@@ -152,6 +146,20 @@ public class PdeBase extends Frame
       }
     }
 
+    try {
+      //if (platform == LINUX) {
+        // linux is by default (motif?) even uglier than metal
+        // actually, i'm using native menus, so they're ugly and
+        // motif-looking. ick. need to fix this.
+        //System.out.println("setting to metal");
+      //UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getCrossPlatformLookAndFeelClassName());
+      //} else {
+      UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
+        //}
+    } catch (Exception e) { 
+      e.printStackTrace();
+    }
+
     //try {
     PdeBase app = new PdeBase();
     // people attempting to use p5 in headless mode are
@@ -214,13 +222,35 @@ public class PdeBase extends Frame
       }
       //properties.list(System.out);
 
-
     } catch (Exception e) {
       System.err.println("Error reading pde.properties");
       e.printStackTrace();
       //System.exit(1);
     }
 
+    // check to see if quicktime for java is installed on windows
+    // since it's temporarily required for 0058
+    if (platform == WINDOWS) {
+      // location for 95/98/ME/XP
+      File qt1 = new File("C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\QTJava.zip");
+      // location for win2k
+      File qt2 = new File("C:\\WINNT\\system32\\QTJava.zip");
+
+      if (!qt1.exists() && !qt2.exists()) {
+        final String message = 
+          "QuickTime for Java could not be found.\n" +
+          "Please download QuickTime from Apple at:\n" + 
+          "http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download\n" + 
+          "and use the 'Custom' install to make sure\n" +
+          "that QuickTime for Java is included.";
+
+        JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this, message, 
+                                      "Could not find QuickTime for Java",
+                                      JOptionPane.WARNING_MESSAGE);
+        System.exit(1);
+      }
+    }
+
 
     // read in the keywords for the reference
 
diff --git a/processing/app/PdeCompiler.java b/processing/app/PdeCompiler.java
index cc323a132..d059a5e98 100644
--- a/processing/app/PdeCompiler.java
+++ b/processing/app/PdeCompiler.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 */
 
 import java.io.*;
+import javax.swing.*;
 
 
 public class PdeCompiler implements PdeMessageConsumer{
@@ -74,8 +75,12 @@ public class PdeCompiler implements PdeMessageConsumer{
 #endif
     }
 
+    //System.out.println(userdir + "jikes");
+    //System.out.println(System.getProperty("sun.boot.class.path"));
+
     String command[] = new String[] { 
 #ifdef MACOS
+      // linux doesn't seem to like this
       userdir + "jikes",
 #else 
       "jikes",
@@ -97,6 +102,11 @@ public class PdeCompiler implements PdeMessageConsumer{
       buildPath + File.separator + className + ".java" // file to compile
     };
 
+    //for (int i = 0; i < command.length; i++) {
+    //System.out.println("C1: " + command[i]);
+    //System.out.println();
+    //}
+
     firstErrorFound = false;  // haven't found any errors yet
     secondErrorFound = false;
 
@@ -123,6 +133,17 @@ public class PdeCompiler implements PdeMessageConsumer{
       }
 
     } catch (Exception e) {
+      if (e.getMessage().indexOf("jikes: not found") != -1) {
+        //System.err.println("jikes is missing");
+        JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(editor.base, 
+                                      "Could not find the compiler.\n" +
+                                      "jikes is missing from your PATH,\n" +
+                                      "see readme.txt for help.",
+                                      "Compiler error",
+                                      JOptionPane.ERROR_MESSAGE);
+        return false;
+      }
+
       e.printStackTrace();
       result = -1;
     }
@@ -146,7 +167,8 @@ public class PdeCompiler implements PdeMessageConsumer{
   // part of the PdeMessageConsumer interface
   //
   public void message(String s) {
-    System.err.println("MSG: " + s);
+    //System.err.println("MSG: " + s);
+    System.err.print(s);
 
     // ignore cautions
     if (s.indexOf("Caution") != -1) return;
diff --git a/processing/app/PdeEditorStatus.java b/processing/app/PdeEditorStatus.java
index f6fa48339..5f93f05c7 100644
--- a/processing/app/PdeEditorStatus.java
+++ b/processing/app/PdeEditorStatus.java
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ public class PdeEditorStatus extends Panel
   static final String PROMPT_OK      = "Ok";
   static final String NO_MESSAGE     = "";
 
-  static final int BUTTON_WIDTH  = 70; //66;
+  // mac needs it to be 70, windows needs 66, linux needs 76
+  static final int BUTTON_WIDTH  = 76;
   static final int BUTTON_HEIGHT = 24;
 
   PdeEditor editor;