Digger450 asked:
Can you try another computer?
Did you also send the RS232 to TTL adapter back for verification?
How do you have the adapter connected to the RBBB?
I might be able to use my wife's computer, if I ask real nice, but she has a lot of problems with her computer.
Yes the adapter was sent back to seller and it checked ok. In fact, I've used that adapter with the atmega168 that I programmed with WinAVR; it worked fine. The adapter is connected to the RBBB via RX, TX, 5v, gnd, and rst. You can find information on the RBBB and the adapter here: http://www.wulfden.org/TheShoppe/freeduino/rbbb.shtml
But its a difficult site to find what you're looking for. He lists adapter P4. The one he sends out is a modification of that one, (P4b)which is the one I have. Its basically the same as P4, but his site doesn't show much about P4b, (the output pins were just rearranged).
I really would like to use arduino, since there is a lot of help and circuit informtion for that environment, whereas WinAVR doesn't.
Thanks 
Pat