Abstract: How do stars form?  This is not just an interesting question
in itself, but star formation also sets the initial conditions and
environment for planet formation.  Many (probably most) stars form in
binaries and so the properties of binary systems should contain a lot
of information on the star formation process.  Unfortunately, many
binary systems are destroyed by encounters in star clusters and so
rarely do we see the primordial binary population.  I will talk about
how we can use binaries to probe star formation, the problems
associated with this, and what we (or at least I) think are the
conditions in which many stars and planets form.