can i render in orthographic view or can i get a background image up in normal view. i'm on blender 2.62. Thank you.

Check your Camera Lens setting.

If you need to do clever things with background images, you can always put an image texture on a plane.

I.ve been working with 2.49b and have just moved up to 2.62 still figuring things out. Could you please tell where that is so i can work it out. Thankyou