diff --git a/development/THE/README b/development/THE/README
index 956a4ed659..4b6ad0b024 100644
--- a/development/THE/README
+++ b/development/THE/README
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
-The Hessling Editor (THE) is a powerful text editor modelled on the 
-VM/CMS text editor XEDIT with the best features of Mansfield Software's 
-Kedit.  THE uses Regina Rexx as its macro language, which means that 
-THE is a highly configurable and versatile editor. 
+The Hessling Editor (THE) is a powerful text editor modeled on the
+VM/CMS text editor XEDIT with the best features of
+Mansfield Software's Kedit.
+
+THE uses Regina Rexx as its macro language. It uses a command line,
+key bindings and a prefix area to operate.
+
+
+Optional Dependency
+
+If PDCurses is installed then the X11 version of the program (xthe)
+will be created.
diff --git a/development/THE/THE-configure.patch b/development/THE/THE-configure.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d64346038
--- /dev/null
+++ b/development/THE/THE-configure.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+--- configure.orig	Thu Oct 30 15:13:56 2014
++++ configure	Sun Dec 28 17:25:25 2014
+@@ -3381,7 +3381,7 @@
+          osis64bit=yes
+       fi
+       ;;
+-   *-freebsd*)
++   *-freebsd* | *-openbsd* | *-bitrig*)
+       mach="`uname -m`"
+       if test "$mach" = "amd64"; then
+          bitflag="64"
diff --git a/development/THE/THE-file-c.patch b/development/THE/THE-file-c.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e9a8bbba42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/development/THE/THE-file-c.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+--- file.c.orig	2013-07-09 17:06:21.000000000 -0700
++++ file.c	2018-06-14 22:20:32.667616957 -0700
+@@ -759,7 +759,7 @@ bool called_from_get_command;
+       if (feof(fp))
+       {
+          eof_reached = TRUE;
+-         for (;*(trec+read_start+chars_read-1)==DOSEOF;chars_read--)
++         for (;chars_read>0 && *(trec+read_start+chars_read-1)==DOSEOF;chars_read--)
+             ;
+       }
+       /*
diff --git a/development/THE/THE-xcurses.patch b/development/THE/THE-xcurses.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8e79ae6c27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/development/THE/THE-xcurses.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+--- a//the.c.orig	2013-12-28 20:08:15.000000000 -0800
++++ b/the.c	2018-06-14 14:49:04.152326981 -0700
+@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@
+ #endif
+    curses_started = TRUE;
+ 
+-#if defined(USE_WINGUICURSES) || defined(USE_XCURSES)
++#if defined(USE_WINGUICURSES) 
+    /*
+     * Tell PDCurses which key should be returned when the window close button is clicked
+     */
diff --git a/development/THE/THE.SlackBuild b/development/THE/THE.SlackBuild
index 6b0cca20e8..be28c22f41 100644
--- a/development/THE/THE.SlackBuild
+++ b/development/THE/THE.SlackBuild
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # Slackware build script for The Hessling Editor
 
-# Copyright 2012 Richard Narron, California, USA
+# Copyright 2012-2018 Richard Narron, California, USA
 # All rights reserved.
 #
 # Redistribution and use of this script, with or without modification, is
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 PRGNAM=THE
 VERSION=${VERSION:-3.3RC4}
-BUILD=${BUILD:-4}
+BUILD=${BUILD:-5}
 TAG=${TAG:-_SBo}
 
 if [ -z "$ARCH" ]; then
@@ -66,14 +66,21 @@ tar xvf $CWD/$PRGNAM-$VERSION.tar.gz
 cd $PRGNAM-$VERSION
 chown -R root:root .
 find -L . \
- \( -perm 777 -o -perm 775 -o -perm 750 -o -perm 711 -o -perm 555 -o -perm 511 \) \
- -exec chmod 755 {} \; -o \
- \( -perm 666 -o -perm 664 -o -perm 600 -o -perm 444 -o -perm 440 -o -perm 400 \) \
- -exec chmod 644 {} \;
+ \( -perm 777 -o -perm 775 -o -perm 750 -o -perm 711 -o -perm 555 \
+  -o -perm 511 \) -exec chmod 755 {} \; -o \
+ \( -perm 666 -o -perm 664 -o -perm 640 -o -perm 600 -o -perm 444 \
+  -o -perm 440 -o -perm 400 \) -exec chmod 644 {} \;
+
+cat $CWD/THE-file-c.patch | patch -p0
+cat $CWD/THE-xcurses.patch | patch -p1
+
+# make the ncurses version of THE and the documentation
+mkdir ncurses
+cd    ncurses
 
 CFLAGS="$SLKCFLAGS" \
 CXXFLAGS="$SLKCFLAGS" \
-./configure \
+../configure \
   --with-ncurses \
   --with-rexx=regina \
   --build=$ARCH-slackware-linux \
@@ -86,19 +93,43 @@ CXXFLAGS="$SLKCFLAGS" \
 
 make
 make install DESTDIR=$PKG
-
 make html
 
-find $PKG -print0 | xargs -0 file | grep -e "executable" -e "shared object" | grep ELF \
-  | cut -f 1 -d : | xargs strip --strip-unneeded 2> /dev/null || true
-
 rm -f $PKG/usr/bin/the ; ln -fs nthe $PKG/usr/bin/the
 
 mkdir -p                               $PKG/usr/doc/$PRGNAM-$VERSION/html
-install -m0644 COPYING FAQ HISTORY INSTALL README* THE*spec TODO \
-                                       $PKG/usr/doc/$PRGNAM-$VERSION
 install -m0644 *.html                  $PKG/usr/doc/$PRGNAM-$VERSION/html
 install -m0644 the64.png the64.gif     $PKG/usr/doc/$PRGNAM-$VERSION/html
+
+cd $TMP/$PRGNAM-$VERSION
+install -m0644 COPYING FAQ HISTORY INSTALL README* THE*spec TODO \
+                                       $PKG/usr/doc/$PRGNAM-$VERSION
+
+# if PDCurses (XCurses) then make the X11 version
+if ldconfig -p | grep -q libXCurses.so ; then
+  mkdir xcurses
+  cd    xcurses
+
+  CFLAGS="$SLKCFLAGS" \
+  CXXFLAGS="$SLKCFLAGS" \
+  ../configure \
+    --with-xcurses \
+    --with-rexx=regina \
+    --build=$ARCH-slackware-linux \
+    --docdir=/usr/doc/$PRGNAM-$VERSION \
+    --libdir=/usr/lib${LIBDIRSUFFIX} \
+    --localstatedir=/var \
+    --mandir=/usr/man \
+    --prefix=/usr \
+    --sysconfdir=/etc
+
+  make xthe
+  install -m0755 xthe $PKG/usr/bin
+fi
+
+find $PKG -print0 | xargs -0 file | grep -e "executable" -e "shared object" | grep ELF \
+  | cut -f 1 -d : | xargs strip --strip-unneeded 2> /dev/null || true
+
 install -m0644 $CWD/$PRGNAM.SlackBuild $PKG/usr/doc/$PRGNAM-$VERSION
 
 mkdir -p $PKG/install
diff --git a/development/THE/slack-desc b/development/THE/slack-desc
index 1c56e95f75..5c83c4227f 100644
--- a/development/THE/slack-desc
+++ b/development/THE/slack-desc
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ THE: The Hessling Editor (THE) is a text editor modelled after the
 THE: IBM VM/CMS text editor XEDIT with the best features of
 THE: Mansfield Software's Kedit.
 THE:
-THE: THE uses Regina Rexx as its macro language, which means
-THE: that THE is a highly configurable and versatile editor.
+THE: THE uses Regina Rexx as its macro language. It uses a command line,
+THE: key bindings and a prefix area to operate.
 THE:
 THE: Homepage: http://hessling-editor.sourceforge.net/
 THE: