diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index e951c1f..47cf2b8 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"code.google.com/p/go.crypto/ssh/terminal"
 	"crypto/rsa"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net"
 	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"unicode"
 )
 
 type Auth struct {
@@ -24,24 +28,34 @@ type ReadWriter struct {
 }
 
 type Client struct {
-	key  *rsa.PrivateKey
-	host string
-	port int
-	nick string
-	conn net.Conn
+	key    *rsa.PrivateKey
+	host   string
+	port   int
+	nick   string
+	conn   net.Conn
+	done   chan interface{}
+	mu     sync.Mutex
+	prompt string
+	line   []rune
+	prev   *terminal.State
 }
 
 func (c *Client) dial() error {
-	conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", c.host, c.port))
+	addr := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", c.host, c.port)
+	c.info("dialing %s", addr)
+	conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", addr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("client unable to connect: %v", err)
 	}
+	c.info("connected to %s", addr)
 	c.conn = conn
+	c.prompt = fmt.Sprintf("%s> ", addr)
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (c *Client) handshake() error {
 	r := &Auth{Nick: c.nick, Key: c.key.PublicKey}
+	c.info("authenticating as %s", c.nick)
 	return c.sendRequest(r)
 }
 
@@ -49,7 +63,33 @@ func (c *Client) sendRequest(r request) error {
 	return writeRequest(c.conn, r)
 }
 
+func (c *Client) info(template string, args ...interface{}) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+
+	c.trunc()
+	fmt.Print("\033[90m# ")
+	fmt.Printf(template, args...)
+	if !strings.HasSuffix(template, "\n") {
+		fmt.Print("\n")
+	}
+	fmt.Printf("\033[0m")
+	c.renderLine()
+}
+
+func (c *Client) trunc() {
+	fmt.Print("\r")
+}
+
+func (c *Client) err(template string, args ...interface{}) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+
+	fmt.Printf(template, args...)
+}
+
 func (c *Client) run() {
+	go c.term()
 	if err := c.dial(); err != nil {
 		exit(1, "%v", err)
 	}
@@ -57,7 +97,47 @@ func (c *Client) run() {
 	if err := c.handshake(); err != nil {
 		exit(1, "%v", err)
 	}
-	c.term()
+	<-c.done
+	if c.prev != nil {
+		terminal.Restore(0, c.prev)
+	}
+
+}
+
+func (c *Client) renderLine() {
+	fmt.Printf("\r%s%s", c.prompt, string(c.line))
+}
+
+func (c *Client) control(r rune) {
+	switch r {
+	case 13: // enter
+		c.enter()
+	case 12: // ctrl+l
+		c.clear()
+	case 3: // ctrl+c
+		c.eof()
+	case 4: // EOF
+		c.eof()
+	default:
+		c.info("control: %v %d %c", r, r, r)
+	}
+}
+
+func (c *Client) enter() {
+	fmt.Print("\n")
+	c.line = make([]rune, 0, 32)
+	c.renderLine()
+}
+
+func (c *Client) eof() {
+	fmt.Print("\r")
+	c.done <- 1
+}
+
+func (c *Client) clear() {
+	fmt.Print("\033[2J")   // clear the screen
+	fmt.Print("\033[0;0f") // move to 0, 0
+	c.renderLine()
 }
 
 func (c *Client) term() {
@@ -65,19 +145,26 @@ func (c *Client) term() {
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
-	defer terminal.Restore(0, old)
+	c.prev = old
+	defer close(c.done)
 
-	r := &ReadWriter{Reader: os.Stdin, Writer: os.Stdout}
-	term := terminal.NewTerminal(r, "> ")
+	in := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
+	for {
+		r, _, err := in.ReadRune()
+		switch err {
+		case io.EOF:
+			return
+		case nil:
+		default:
+			c.err("error reading rune: %v", err)
+		}
 
-	line, err := term.ReadLine()
-	switch err {
-	case io.EOF:
-		return
-	case nil:
-		fmt.Println(line)
-	default:
-		exit(1, "error on line read: %v", err)
+		if unicode.IsGraphic(r) {
+			c.line = append(c.line, r)
+			c.renderLine()
+		} else {
+			c.control(r)
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -96,6 +183,8 @@ func connect() {
 		host: options.host,
 		port: options.port,
 		nick: options.nick,
+		done: make(chan interface{}),
+		line: make([]rune, 0, 32),
 	}
 	client.run()
 }
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 7a3fd8a..2779cec 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ func serve() {
 	if err != nil {
 		exit(1, "couldn't open tcp port for listening: %v", err)
 	}
+	info_log.Printf("server listening: %s:%d", options.host, options.port)
 	for {
 		conn, err := listener.Accept()
 		if err != nil {