diff --git a/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/Makefile b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ab5fa631
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#
+# $Id: Makefile,v 1.1 2000/12/06 03:25:19 mdb Exp $
+
+ROOT = ../../../..
+
+SRCS = \
+	Task.java \
+	TaskMaster.java \
+	TaskObserver.java \
+
+include $(ROOT)/build/Makefile.java
diff --git a/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/Task.java b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/Task.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc7a4f89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/Task.java
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+//
+// $Id: Task.java,v 1.1 2000/12/06 03:25:19 mdb Exp $
+
+package com.samskivert.swing.util;
+
+/**
+ * A swing application requests that a task be invoked by the task
+ * master. The task master invokes the task on a separate thread and
+ * informs the swing application when the task has completed via the task
+ * observer interface. It does so in a way that plays nicely with the
+ * swing event dispatch thread (the swing application is notified of the
+ * task's completion on the event dispatch thread so that it can wiggle
+ * its user interface elements to its heart's desire).
+ */
+public interface Task
+{
+    /**
+     * This method is called by the task master to invoke the task. The
+     * task should run to completion and return some value.
+     */
+    public Object invoke ();
+
+    /**
+     * This method is called by the task master when it has received a
+     * request to cancel this task. If the task can be cancelled, abort
+     * should return true and the currently running call to
+     * <code>invoke()</code> should immediately return (the return value
+     * will be ignored). If the task cannot be cancelled, abort should
+     * return false and the task master will simply abandon the task and
+     * the thread on which it is running.
+     */
+    public boolean abort ();
+}
diff --git a/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/TaskMaster.java b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/TaskMaster.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f2acd1b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/TaskMaster.java
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+//
+// $Id: TaskMaster.java,v 1.1 2000/12/06 03:25:19 mdb Exp $
+
+package com.samskivert.swing.util;
+
+import java.util.Hashtable;
+import com.samskivert.util.Log;
+
+/**
+ * The task master provides the ability for swing applications to invoke
+ * tasks on another thread and to conveniently receive the results of
+ * those tasks back on the swing event dispatch thread where the swing
+ * application can safely manipulate its user interface in response to the
+ * results of the task.
+ *
+ * <p/> Each task is run in it's own thread. Tasks are assumed to be
+ * infrequently run and expensive, so the overhead of creating a new
+ * thread to run each task is considered acceptable. If the need arises,
+ * the task master can be extended to support more sophisticated thread
+ * pooling but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
+ */
+public class TaskMaster
+{
+    /** The log object to be used by the task master and services. */
+    public static Log log = new Log("com.samskivert.swing.util.task");
+
+    /**
+     * Instructs the task master to run the supplied task. The task is
+     * given the supplied name and can be referenced by that name in
+     * subsequent dealings with the task master. The supplied observer (if
+     * non-null) will be notified when the task has completed.
+     */
+    public static void invokeTask (String name, Task task,
+				   TaskObserver observer)
+    {
+	// create a task runner and stick it in our task table
+	TaskRunner runner = new TaskRunner(name, task, observer);
+	_tasks.put(name, runner);
+	// then start the runner up
+	runner.start();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called by the task runner to remove itself from the task table when
+     * the task has completed or been aborted.
+     */
+    protected static void removeTask (String name)
+    {
+	_tasks.remove(name);
+    }
+
+    protected static class TaskRunner extends Thread
+    {
+	public TaskRunner (String name, Task task, TaskObserver observer)
+	{
+	    _name = name;
+	    _task = task;
+	    _observer = observer;
+	}
+
+	public void run ()
+	{
+	    try {
+		Object result = _task.invoke();
+		if (_observer != null) {
+		    try {
+			_observer.taskCompleted(_name, result);
+		    } catch (Throwable t) {
+			log.warning("Observer choked in " +
+				    "taskCompleted(): " + t);
+		    }
+		}
+
+	    } catch (Throwable t) {
+		if (_observer != null) {
+		    try {
+			_observer.taskFailed(_name, t);
+		    } catch (Throwable ot) {
+			log.warning("Observer choked in taskFailed(): " + ot);
+		    }
+		}
+	    }
+
+	    TaskMaster.removeTask(_name);
+	}
+
+	public void abort ()
+	{
+	    log.warning("abort() not currently supported.");
+	}
+
+	protected String _name;
+	protected Task _task;
+	protected TaskObserver _observer;
+    }
+
+    protected static Hashtable _tasks = new Hashtable();
+}
diff --git a/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/TaskObserver.java b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/TaskObserver.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d58e315a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/samskivert/src/java/com/samskivert/swing/util/TaskObserver.java
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+//
+// $Id: TaskObserver.java,v 1.1 2000/12/06 03:25:19 mdb Exp $
+
+package com.samskivert.swing.util;
+
+/**
+ * The task observer interface provides the means by which the task master
+ * can communicate the success or failure of a task invocation back to the
+ * originator of a task.
+ */
+public interface TaskObserver
+{
+    /**
+     * If the task successfully runs to completion and returns a result,
+     * this member function will be called on the supplied observer.
+     *
+     * @param name The name under which the task was originally invoked.
+     * @param result The result returned by the task's
+     * <code>invoke()</code> method.
+     */
+    public void taskCompleted (String name, Object result);
+
+    /**
+     * If the task fails to run to completion and instead throws an
+     * exception, this member function will be called on the supplied
+     * observer.
+     *
+     * @param name The name under which the task was originally invoked.
+     * @param exception The exception thrown by the task during the call
+     * to <code>invoke()</code>.
+     */
+    public void taskFailed (String name, Throwable exception);
+}