<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> Joe, piano technicians will not be able to stop people calling these devices pianos. We can set an example, but that's all. In point of fact, I called them Digital or Electronic Pianos.  They will be called what they will be called. Language is living and fickle. What we call a piano today started out with a longer name, did it not? Clavicembalo con piano é forte, or some such thing.  These digital instruments will have piano in the name, and we cannot stop it.  Marketing, if  nothing else, will ensure this.  We are in complete agreement about the merits and demerits of these devices. Best regards, David. <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">David, The first thing we ALL need to do is...Quit calling them Pianos!!! They are NOT! They are, at best, PSOs that kind of sound like pianos, but really don't.<G> (If a high quality amplifier is used, the piano sound is VERY close...AMHIK!) They almost FEEL like a piano, but really don't. (even though some espouse that "...it has a real piano action..." Whatever) The fact remains, that many teachers jumped on that bandwagon, many years ago. They found that the students did not advance as rapidly when they were practicing on Electronic/Digital KEYBOARDS! The "weighted".."..Just like a Piano action" thangs do not promote Muscle Tone like a real PIANO does! Thus, the STUDENT is the loser! Having said all that, the Electronic/Digital Keyboards have a very real and active place in the field of making music. And, they have a very real part to play in the Teacher/Student picture. Not to mention all the neat things they can do for active Musicians in composing and such. For the "gigging" musician, they're the best thing since peanut butter....DAMHIK! So, they are here to stay. Just get on the band wagon and let's STOP calling them Pianos! K?!! Regards to all, Joe</pre> </blockquote> </body> </html>