I keep my windows XP R updated as soon as a new version is available in www.r-project.org. After re-installing the new version of R I reinstall all the extra packages my programs need by manually selecting them in the list popping up from the "install packages" menu (from an Italian mirror), after having given **** user & password **** asked by R to pass the firewall/proxy. This is a somewhat routinary, boring reinstallation that I would make simpler by using - after reinstalling the R basic program - an R script with the "install.packages(etc...)" command. The problem is: how can I let R know of the **** user & password **** of the proxy? Ciao Vittorio