Editor and type text data

We are using a 4gl program to maintain data of type text. The key entry occurs using the pico editor. It is called from a 4gl form by specifying the editor as follows under field attributes in a per form: f001 = table_text.text_field, program = "/xxx/xxxxx/pico -t" where /xxx/yyyy/ are the path to pico and the option -t is used. We run this through PCs runing DOS and telnetting to the Informix server. Every now and then, the 4gl program appears to hang. Unix shows our 4ge process running as well as the pico jog with its work name. At the point the program hangs the pico process has a child process which shows no time and display <defunct>. I have been unable to kill this process evne as root with a -9. We need to login again, which in the case of the PC is a reboot and can be irritating if we are in themidst of lengthy text. It happens very sporadically.. so sporadically it is difficult to quantify. ..probably less than 1% of our text entries, which range in length from 200 to 2000 characters. Has anyone else experienced this? Does anybody do anything similar with an editor that might be a little more powerful. Versions might not matter but. Informix Online 7.11, 4GL 6.01.ud3 Thanks in advance -- Con Woodall Colorado St. U.; Veterinary Teach. Hosp.; Ft. Collins CO 80523, USofA; 970-491-1244 FAX 970-491-4100 cwoodall@vth1.vth.colostate.edu "There is no 'maybe' in Boolean algebra." --