My question is if the software will be that junk that requires Win 95 or higher. That would be an ignorant move on Philips' part, and might keep me from buying a Pronto.

Look at it this way... The Pronto interface is serial. No need for speed there (like Windows actually run with any amount of speed anyway)... The screen is probably only 2 bits per pixel, so a 32 bit programming application isn't needed. Same with the serial interface. You'd be shooting yourself in the foot using a 32 bit application to handle the 8 bit serial port.

Philips would be smart to provide software that would run on any version of Windows (or limited to 3.1 and up), and would be even smarter to offer information about programming the remote or a Java application for people who don't use Windows at all.

Sorry for the rant, but I get severely annoyed at companies that make software that support MS's monopoly instead of providing consumers software they can use on an OS of their choice. And I get even more annoyed at hardware makers who offer support software/drivers that only work in Windows. I get along very well in Win 3.1, and have no need to go to 95 or 98 or NT. I don't shop for software anymore. They all say the same thing "Requires [the monopolistic] Operating System". :)