diff --git a/stella/docs/stella.html b/stella/docs/stella.html
index fb8bdb749..bec442765 100644
--- a/stella/docs/stella.html
+++ b/stella/docs/stella.html
@@ -232,8 +232,6 @@
 			in Stella 1.2</li>
 		<li>Added "<i>-sound</i>" command line option to choose which sound backend to use
 			(alsa, oss, sdl) with the X11 and SDL versions</li>
-		<li>Added "<i>-help</i>" command line option to describe the options available.
-			Previously, help was always shown.  X11 and SDL versions supported for now</li>
 		<li>Added the following <b>developer</b> command line options to the X11 and SDL
 			versions, which are only activated in <b>developer</b> builds:
 			<ul>
@@ -662,11 +660,6 @@
 			<th>Description</th>
 		</tr>
 
-		<tr>
-			<td><pre>-help</pre></td>
-			<td>Show this table on the commandline</td>
-		</tr>
-
 		<tr>
 			<td><pre>-display &lt;display&gt;</pre></td>
 			<td>Connect to the designated X display (<i>X11 version only</i>)</td>
diff --git a/stella/src/ui/common/Settings.cxx b/stella/src/ui/common/Settings.cxx
index 35b7cee9c..52909257e 100644
--- a/stella/src/ui/common/Settings.cxx
+++ b/stella/src/ui/common/Settings.cxx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // See the file "license" for information on usage and redistribution of
 // this file, and for a DISCLAIMER OF ALL WARRANTIES.
 //
-// $Id: Settings.cxx,v 1.7 2002-11-13 16:19:20 stephena Exp $
+// $Id: Settings.cxx,v 1.8 2002-12-01 17:06:18 stephena Exp $
 //============================================================================
 
 #ifdef DEVELOPER_SUPPORT
@@ -192,11 +192,7 @@ bool Settings::handleCommandLineArgs(int argc, char* argv[])
     }
     else if(string(argv[i]) == "-sound")
     {
-      string option = argv[++i];
-      if((option != "oss") && (option != "sdl") && (option != "alsa"))
-        option = "0";
-
-      theSoundDriver = option;
+      theSoundDriver = argv[++i];
     }
 #ifdef DEVELOPER_SUPPORT
     else if(string(argv[i]) == "-Dformat")
diff --git a/stella/src/ui/sdl/mainSDL.cxx b/stella/src/ui/sdl/mainSDL.cxx
index 01710f30b..1b18737fe 100644
--- a/stella/src/ui/sdl/mainSDL.cxx
+++ b/stella/src/ui/sdl/mainSDL.cxx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // See the file "license" for information on usage and redistribution of
 // this file, and for a DISCLAIMER OF ALL WARRANTIES.
 //
-// $Id: mainSDL.cxx,v 1.39 2002-12-01 02:13:13 stephena Exp $
+// $Id: mainSDL.cxx,v 1.40 2002-12-01 17:06:18 stephena Exp $
 //============================================================================
 
 #include <fstream>
@@ -335,27 +335,38 @@ bool setupJoystick()
 #ifdef HAVE_JOYSTICK
   if(SDL_NumJoysticks() <= 0)
   {
-    cout << "No joysticks present, use the keyboard.\n";
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "No joysticks present, use the keyboard.\n";
     theLeftJoystick = theRightJoystick = 0;
     return true;
   }
 
   if((theLeftJoystick = SDL_JoystickOpen(0)) != NULL)
-    cout << "Left joystick is a " << SDL_JoystickName(0) <<
-      " with " << SDL_JoystickNumButtons(theLeftJoystick) << " buttons.\n";
+  {
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Left joystick is a " << SDL_JoystickName(0) <<
+        " with " << SDL_JoystickNumButtons(theLeftJoystick) << " buttons.\n";
+  }
   else
-    cout << "Left joystick not present, use keyboard instead.\n";
+  {
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Left joystick not present, use keyboard instead.\n";
+  }
 
   if((theRightJoystick = SDL_JoystickOpen(1)) != NULL)
-    cout << "Right joystick is a " << SDL_JoystickName(1) <<
-      " with " << SDL_JoystickNumButtons(theRightJoystick) << " buttons.\n";
+  {
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Right joystick is a " << SDL_JoystickName(1) <<
+        " with " << SDL_JoystickNumButtons(theRightJoystick) << " buttons.\n";
+  }
   else
-    cout << "Right joystick not present, use keyboard instead.\n";
+  {
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Right joystick not present, use keyboard instead.\n";
+  }
+#endif
 
   return true;
-#else
-  return true;
-#endif
 }
 
 
@@ -1475,7 +1486,7 @@ void usage()
 
   for(uInt32 i = 0; message[i] != 0; ++i)
   {
-    cerr << message[i] << endl;
+    cout << message[i] << endl;
   }
   exit(1);
 }
@@ -1707,18 +1718,32 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   {
     // if sound has been disabled, we still need a sound object
     sound = new Sound();
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Sound disabled.\n";
   }
 #ifdef SOUND_ALSA
   else if(settings->theSoundDriver == "alsa")
+  {
     sound = new SoundALSA();
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Using ALSA for sound.\n";
+  }
 #endif
 #ifdef SOUND_OSS
   else if(settings->theSoundDriver == "oss")
+  {
     sound = new SoundOSS();
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Using OSS for sound.\n";
+  }
 #endif
 #ifdef SOUND_SDL
   else if(settings->theSoundDriver == "sdl")
+  {
     sound = new SoundSDL();
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Using SDL for sound.\n";
+  }
 #endif
   else   // a driver that doesn't exist was requested, so disable sound
   {
diff --git a/stella/src/ui/x11/mainX11.cxx b/stella/src/ui/x11/mainX11.cxx
index 4eca4c7ff..87f123319 100644
--- a/stella/src/ui/x11/mainX11.cxx
+++ b/stella/src/ui/x11/mainX11.cxx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // See the file "license" for information on usage and redistribution of
 // this file, and for a DISCLAIMER OF ALL WARRANTIES.
 //
-// $Id: mainX11.cxx,v 1.34 2002-12-01 02:13:14 stephena Exp $
+// $Id: mainX11.cxx,v 1.35 2002-12-01 17:06:18 stephena Exp $
 //============================================================================
 
 #include <fstream>
@@ -369,9 +369,27 @@ bool setupDisplay()
 bool setupJoystick()
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_JOYSTICK
-  // Open the joystick devices
-  theLeftJoystickFd = open("/dev/js0", O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK);
-  theRightJoystickFd = open("/dev/js1", O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK);
+  if((theLeftJoystickFd = open("/dev/js0", O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK)) >= 0)
+  {
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Left joystick found.\n";
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Left joystick not present, use keyboard instead.\n";
+  }
+
+  if((theRightJoystickFd = open("/dev/js1", O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK)) >= 0)
+  {
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Right joystick found.\n";
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Right joystick not present, use keyboard instead.\n";
+  }
 #endif
 
   return true;
@@ -1368,7 +1386,7 @@ void usage()
 
   for(uInt32 i = 0; message[i] != 0; ++i)
   {
-    cerr << message[i] << endl;
+    cout << message[i] << endl;
   }
   exit(1);
 }
@@ -1580,14 +1598,24 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   {
     // if sound has been disabled, we still need a sound object
     sound = new Sound();
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Sound disabled.\n";
   }
 #ifdef SOUND_ALSA
   else if(settings->theSoundDriver == "alsa")
+  {
     sound = new SoundALSA();
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Using ALSA for sound.\n";
+  }
 #endif
 #ifdef SOUND_OSS
   else if(settings->theSoundDriver == "oss")
+  {
     sound = new SoundOSS();
+    if(settings->theShowInfoFlag)
+      cout << "Using OSS for sound.\n";
+  }
 #endif
   else   // a driver that doesn't exist was requested, so disable sound
   {