Programming in straight windows API, without MFC or an equivalent (Does Borland have one? I don't know), is really a very painful experience. The Windows API was developed before object oriented languages like C++ came into full use. So later on MFC was created to simplify things. I'm currently taking a class in windows programming, and as the professor told us on the first day "Windows programming in C is really kind of a black art." If you know someone who does this, bring them burnt offerings and a virgin sacrafice. They have more power than you can possibly comprehend.