CL-USER> (dolist (max '(10 100 1000)) (format t "~2% max = ~D ~%" max) (finish-output) (time (make-grid-dfa 10))) max = 10 Real time: 0.030129 sec. Run time: 0.03 sec. Space: 614340 Bytes max = 100 Real time: 0.080329 sec. Run time: 0.07 sec. Space: 614340 Bytes GC: 1, GC time: 0.05 sec. max = 1000 Real time: 0.027293 sec. Run time: 0.03 sec. Space: 614340 Bytes NIL CL-USER> (dolist (max '(10 100 1000)) (format t "~2% max = ~D ~%" max) (finish-output) (time (make-grid-dfa max))) In the first case, the output shows, but actually it's at the end. In the second case, since we've got O(n^2) processing time, I'm still waiting the first line! -- __Pascal Bourguignon__ http://www.informatimago.com/ There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him. -- Robert Heinlein