diff --git a/new/container_unix.c b/new/container_unix.c
deleted file mode 100644
index ec5d2f0..0000000
--- a/new/container_unix.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,132 +0,0 @@
-// 13 august 2014
-#include "uipriv_unix.h"
-
-G_DEFINE_TYPE(uiContainer, uiContainer, GTK_TYPE_CONTAINER)
-
-static void uiContainer_init(uiContainer *c)
-{
-	if (options.debugLogAllocations)
-		fprintf(stderr, "%p alloc uiContainer\n", c);
-	c->children = g_ptr_array_new();
-	gtk_widget_set_has_window(GTK_WIDGET(c), FALSE);
-}
-
-// instead of having GtkContainer itself unref all our controls, we'll run our own uiControlDestroy() functions for child, which will do that and more
-// we still chain up because we need to, but by that point there will be no children for GtkContainer to free
-static void uiContainer_dispose(GObject *obj)
-{
-	uiContainer *c = uiContainer(obj);
-
-	if (c->children != NULL) {
-		g_ptr_array_unref(c->children);
-		c->children = NULL;
-	}
-	if (c->child != NULL) {
-		uiControlDestroy(c->child);
-		c->child = NULL;
-	}
-	G_OBJECT_CLASS(uiContainer_parent_class)->dispose(obj);
-}
-
-static void uiContainer_finalize(GObject *obj)
-{
-	G_OBJECT_CLASS(uiContainer_parent_class)->finalize(obj);
-	if (options.debugLogAllocations)
-		fprintf(stderr, "%p free\n", obj);
-}
-
-static void uiContainer_add(GtkContainer *container, GtkWidget *widget)
-{
-	uiContainer *c = uiContainer(container);
-
-	gtk_widget_set_parent(widget, GTK_WIDGET(c));
-	if (c->children != NULL)
-		g_ptr_array_add(c->children, widget);
-}
-
-static void uiContainer_remove(GtkContainer *container, GtkWidget *widget)
-{
-	uiContainer *c = uiContainer(container);
-
-	gtk_widget_unparent(widget);
-	if (c->children != NULL)
-		g_ptr_array_remove(c->children, widget);
-}
-
-#define gtkXMargin 12
-#define gtkYMargin 12
-#define gtkXPadding 12
-#define gtkYPadding 6
-
-static void uiContainer_size_allocate(GtkWidget *widget, GtkAllocation *allocation)
-{
-	uiContainer *c = uiContainer(widget);
-	uiSizing d;
-	intmax_t x, y, width, height;
-
-	gtk_widget_set_allocation(GTK_WIDGET(c), allocation);
-	if (c->child == NULL)
-		return;
-	x = allocation->x;
-	y = allocation->y;
-	width = allocation->width;
-	height = allocation->height;
-	if (c->margined) {
-		x += gtkXMargin;
-		y += gtkYMargin;
-		width -= 2 * gtkXMargin;
-		height -= 2 * gtkYMargin;
-	}
-	d.xPadding = gtkXPadding;
-	d.yPadding = gtkYPadding;
-	uiControlResize(c->child, x, y, width, height, &d);
-}
-
-struct forall {
-	GtkCallback callback;
-	gpointer data;
-};
-
-static void doforall(gpointer obj, gpointer data)
-{
-	struct forall *s = (struct forall *) data;
-
-	(*(s->callback))(GTK_WIDGET(obj), s->data);
-}
-
-static void uiContainer_forall(GtkContainer *container, gboolean includeInternals, GtkCallback callback, gpointer data)
-{
-	uiContainer *c = uiContainer(container);
-	struct forall s;
-
-	s.callback = callback;
-	s.data = data;
-	if (c->children != NULL)
-		g_ptr_array_foreach(c->children, doforall, &s);
-}
-
-static void uiContainer_class_init(uiContainerClass *class)
-{
-	G_OBJECT_CLASS(class)->dispose = uiContainer_dispose;
-	G_OBJECT_CLASS(class)->finalize = uiContainer_finalize;
-	GTK_WIDGET_CLASS(class)->size_allocate = uiContainer_size_allocate;
-	GTK_CONTAINER_CLASS(class)->add = uiContainer_add;
-	GTK_CONTAINER_CLASS(class)->remove = uiContainer_remove;
-	GTK_CONTAINER_CLASS(class)->forall = uiContainer_forall;
-}
-
-GtkWidget *newContainer(void)
-{
-	GtkWidget *w;
-
-	w = GTK_WIDGET(g_object_new(uiContainerType, NULL));
-	// call gtk_widget_show_all() here to make the container visible
-	gtk_widget_show_all(w);
-	return w;
-}
-
-void updateParent(uintptr_t parent)
-{
-	if (parent != 0)
-		gtk_widget_queue_resize(GTK_WIDGET(parent));
-}
diff --git a/new/newcontrol_unix.c b/new/newcontrol_unix.c
index 5779af2..c56ef8d 100644
--- a/new/newcontrol_unix.c
+++ b/new/newcontrol_unix.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ struct singleWidget {
 	GtkWidget *widget;
 	GtkWidget *scrolledWindow;
 	GtkWidget *immediate;		// the widget that is added to the parent container; either widget or scrolledWindow
-	uintptr_t parent;
+	uiParent *parent;
 	gboolean userHid;
 	gboolean containerHid;
 	gboolean userDisabled;
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@ static uintptr_t singleHandle(uiControl *c)
 	return (uintptr_t) (s->widget);
 }
 
-static void singleSetParent(uiControl *c, uintptr_t parent)
+static void singleSetParent(uiControl *c, uiParent *parent)
 {
 	singleWidget *s = (singleWidget *) (c->internal);
 
 	s->parent = parent;
 	gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(s->parent), s->immediate);
-	updateParent(s->parent);
+	uiParentUpdate(s->parent);
 }
 
 static void singleRemoveParent(uiControl *c)
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ static void singleRemoveParent(uiControl *c)
 	oldparent = s->parent;
 	s->parent = NULL;
 	gtk_container_remove(GTK_CONTAINER(oldparent), s->immediate);
-	updateParent(oldparent);
+	uiParentUpdate(oldparent);
 }
 
 static void singlePreferredSize(uiControl *c, uiSizing *d, intmax_t *width, intmax_t *height)
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ static void singleShow(uiControl *c)
 	s->userHid = FALSE;
 	if (!s->containerHid) {
 		gtk_widget_show_all(s->immediate);
-		updateParent(s->parent);
+		if (s->parent != NULL)
+			uiParentUpdate(s->parent);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -99,7 +100,8 @@ static void singleHide(uiControl *c)
 
 	s->userHid = TRUE;
 	gtk_widget_hide(s->immediate);
-	updateParent(s->parent);
+	if (s->parent != NULL)
+		uiParentUpdate(s->parent);
 }
 
 static void singleContainerShow(uiControl *c)
@@ -109,7 +111,8 @@ static void singleContainerShow(uiControl *c)
 	s->containerHid = FALSE;
 	if (!s->userHid) {
 		gtk_widget_show_all(s->immediate);
-		updateParent(s->parent);
+		if (s->parent != NULL)
+			uiParentUpdate(s->parent);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -119,7 +122,8 @@ static void singleContainerHide(uiControl *c)
 
 	s->containerHid = TRUE;
 	gtk_widget_hide(s->immediate);
-	updateParent(s->parent);
+	if (s->parent != NULL)
+		uiParentUpdate(s->parent);
 }
 
 static void singleEnable(uiControl *c)
diff --git a/new/parent_unix.c b/new/parent_unix.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f9c8db1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/new/parent_unix.c
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+// 13 august 2014
+#include "uipriv_unix.h"
+
+#define uipParentType (uipParent_get_type())
+#define uipParent(obj) (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_CAST((obj), uipParentType, uipParent))
+#define uipIsParent(obj) (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE((obj), uipParentType))
+#define uipParentClass(class) (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_CAST((class), uipParentType, uipParentClass))
+#define uipIsParentClass(class) (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_TYPE((class), uipParent))
+#define uipGetParentClass(obj) (G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_CLASS((obj), uipParentType, uipParentClass))
+
+typedef struct uipParent uipParent;
+typedef struct uipParentClass uipParentClass;
+
+struct uipParent {
+	GtkContainer parent_instance;
+	// this is what triggers the resizing of all the children
+	uiControl *child;
+	// these are the actual children widgets of the container as far as GTK+ is concerned
+	GPtrArray *children;		// for forall()
+	intmax_t marginLeft;
+	intmax_t marginTop;
+	intmax_t marginRight;
+	intmax_t marginBottom;
+};
+
+struct uipParentClass {
+	GtkContainerClass parent_class;
+};
+
+G_DEFINE_TYPE(uipParent, uipParent, GTK_TYPE_CONTAINER)
+
+static void uipParent_init(uipParent *p)
+{
+	if (options.debugLogAllocations)
+		fprintf(stderr, "%p alloc uipParent\n", p);
+	p->children = g_ptr_array_new();
+	gtk_widget_set_has_window(GTK_WIDGET(c), FALSE);
+}
+
+// instead of having GtkContainer itself unref all our controls, we'll run our own uiControlDestroy() functions for child, which will do that and more
+// we still chain up because we need to, but by that point there will be no children for GtkContainer to free
+static void uipParent_dispose(GObject *obj)
+{
+	uipParent *p = uipParent(obj);
+
+	if (p->children != NULL) {
+		g_ptr_array_unref(c->children);
+		p->children = NULL;
+	}
+	if (p->child != NULL) {
+		uiControlDestroy(c->child);
+		p->child = NULL;
+	}
+	G_OBJECT_CLASS(uipParent_parent_class)->dispose(obj);
+}
+
+static void uipParent_finalize(GObject *obj)
+{
+	G_OBJECT_CLASS(uipParent_parent_class)->finalize(obj);
+	if (options.debugLogAllocations)
+		fprintf(stderr, "%p free\n", obj);
+}
+
+static void uipParent_add(GtkContainer *container, GtkWidget *widget)
+{
+	uipParent *p = uipParent(container);
+
+	gtk_widget_set_parent(widget, GTK_WIDGET(c));
+	if (p->children != NULL)
+		g_ptr_array_add(p->children, widget);
+}
+
+static void uipParent_remove(GtkContainer *container, GtkWidget *widget)
+{
+	uipParent *p = uipParent(container);
+
+	gtk_widget_unparent(widget);
+	if (p->children != NULL)
+		g_ptr_array_remove(p->children, widget);
+}
+
+#define gtkXPadding 12
+#define gtkYPadding 6
+
+static void uipParent_size_allocate(GtkWidget *widget, GtkAllocation *allocation)
+{
+	uipParent *p = uipParent(widget);
+	uiSizing d;
+	intmax_t x, y, width, height;
+
+	gtk_widget_set_allocation(GTK_WIDGET(c), allocation);
+	if (c->child == NULL)
+		return;
+	x = allocation->x + p->marginLeft;
+	y = allocation->y + p->marginTop;
+	width = allocation->width - (p->marginLeft + p->marginRight);
+	height = allocation->height - (p->marginTop + p->marginBottom);
+	d.xPadding = gtkXPadding;
+	d.yPadding = gtkYPadding;
+	uiControlResize(c->child, x, y, width, height, &d);
+}
+
+struct forall {
+	GtkCallback callback;
+	gpointer data;
+};
+
+static void doforall(gpointer obj, gpointer data)
+{
+	struct forall *s = (struct forall *) data;
+
+	(*(s->callback))(GTK_WIDGET(obj), s->data);
+}
+
+static void uipParent_forall(GtkContainer *container, gboolean includeInternals, GtkCallback callback, gpointer data)
+{
+	uipParent *p = uipParent(container);
+	struct forall s;
+
+	s.callback = callback;
+	s.data = data;
+	if (p->children != NULL)
+		g_ptr_array_foreach(c->children, doforall, &s);
+}
+
+static void uipParent_class_init(uipParentClass *class)
+{
+	G_OBJECT_CLASS(class)->dispose = uipParent_dispose;
+	G_OBJECT_CLASS(class)->finalize = uipParent_finalize;
+	GTK_WIDGET_CLASS(class)->size_allocate = uipParent_size_allocate;
+	GTK_CONTAINER_CLASS(class)->add = uipParent_add;
+	GTK_CONTAINER_CLASS(class)->remove = uipParent_remove;
+	GTK_CONTAINER_CLASS(class)->forall = uipParent_forall;
+}
+
+static uintptr_t parentHandle(uiParent *p)
+{
+	uipParent *pp = uipParent(p->Internal);
+
+	return (uintptr_t) pp;
+}
+
+static void parentSetChild(uiParent *p, uiControl *child)
+{
+	uipParent *pp = uipParent(p->Internal);
+
+	pp->child = child;
+	if (pp->child != NULL)
+		uiControlSetParent(child, p);
+}
+
+static void parentSetMargins(uiParent *p, intmax_t left, intmax_t top, intmax_t right, intmax_t bottom)
+{
+	uipParent *pp = uipParent(p->Internal);
+
+	pp->marginLeft = left;
+	pp->marginTop = top;
+	pp->marginRight = right;
+	pp->marginBottom = bottom;
+}
+
+static void parentUpdate(uiParent *p)
+{
+	uipParent *pp = uipParent(p->Internal);
+
+	gtk_queue_resize(GTK_WIDGET(pp));
+}
+
+uiParent *uiNewParent(uintptr_t osParent)
+{
+	uiParent *p;
+
+	p = uiNew(uiParent);
+	p->Internal = g_object_new(uipParentType, NULL);
+	p->Handle = parentHandle;
+	p->SetChild = parentSetChild;
+	p->SetMargins = parentSetMargins;
+	p->Update = parentUpdate;
+	gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(osParent), GTK_WIDGET(p->Internal));
+	// and make it visible by default
+	gtk_widget_show_all(GTK_WIDGET(p->internal));
+	return p;
+}
diff --git a/new/tab_unix.c b/new/tab_unix.c
index c8d8de7..f995fff 100644
--- a/new/tab_unix.c
+++ b/new/tab_unix.c
@@ -2,15 +2,11 @@
 #include "uipriv_unix.h"
 
 struct tab {
-	struct tabPage *pages;
+	uiParent **pages;
 	uintmax_t len;
 	uintmax_t cap;
 };
 
-struct tabPage {
-	GtkWidget *container;
-};
-
 static void onDestroy(GtkWidget *widget, gpointer data)
 {
 	struct tab *t = (struct tab *) data;
@@ -44,21 +40,19 @@ void uiTabAddPage(uiControl *c, const char *name, uiControl *child)
 {
 	struct tab *t = (struct tab *) (c->data);
 	GtkWidget *notebook;
-	GtkWidget *container;
+	uiParent *content;
 
 	if (t->len >= t->cap) {
 		t->cap += tabCapGrow;
-		t->pages = (struct tabPage *) uiRealloc(t->pages, t->cap * sizeof (struct tabPage), "struct tabPage[]");
+		t->pages = (uiParent **) uiRealloc(t->pages, t->cap * sizeof (uiParent *), "uiParent *[]");
 	}
 
-	container = newContainer();
-	uiContainer(container)->child = child;
-	uiControlSetParent(uiContainer(container)->child, (uintptr_t) (container));
 	notebook = GTK_WIDGET(uiControlHandle(c));
-	gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(notebook), container);
+	content = uiNewParent((uintptr_t) notebook);
+	uiParentSetChild(content, child);
+	uiParentUpdate(content);
 	gtk_notebook_set_tab_label_text(GTK_NOTEBOOK(notebook), container, name);
-	gtk_widget_show_all(container);
 
-	t->pages[t->len].container = container;
+	t->pages[t->len] = content;
 	t->len++;
 }
diff --git a/new/uipriv_unix.h b/new/uipriv_unix.h
index 97e16e1..1af388b 100644
--- a/new/uipriv_unix.h
+++ b/new/uipriv_unix.h
@@ -7,25 +7,5 @@
 #include "uipriv.h"
 #include "ui_unix.h"
 
-// container_unix.c
-#define uiContainerType (uiContainer_get_type())
-#define uiContainer(obj) (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_CAST((obj), uiContainerType, uiContainer))
-#define uiIsContainer(obj) (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE((obj), uiContainerType))
-#define uiContainerClass(class) (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_CAST((class), uiContainerType, uiContainerClass))
-#define uiIsContainerClass(class) (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_TYPE((class), uiContainer))
-#define uiGetContainerClass(obj) (G_TYPE_INSTANCE_GET_CLASS((obj), uiContainerType, uiContainerClass))
-typedef struct uiContainer uiContainer;
-typedef struct uiContainerClass uiContainerClass;
-struct uiContainer {
-	GtkContainer parent_instance;
-	// this is what triggers the resizing of all the children
-	uiControl *child;
-	// these are the actual children widgets of the container as far as GTK+ is concerned
-	GPtrArray *children;		// for forall()
-	gboolean margined;
-};
-struct uiContainerClass {
-	GtkContainerClass parent_class;
-};
-extern GType uiContainer_get_type(void);
-extern GtkWidget *newContainer(void);
+#define gtkXMargin 12
+#define gtkYMargin 12
diff --git a/new/window_unix.c b/new/window_unix.c
index d627335..e3fe6f3 100644
--- a/new/window_unix.c
+++ b/new/window_unix.c
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
 
 struct uiWindow {
 	GtkWidget *widget;
-	GtkWidget *container;
+	uiParent *content;
 	int (*onClosing)(uiWindow *, void *);
 	void *onClosingData;
+	int margined;
 };
 
 static gboolean onClosing(GtkWidget *win, GdkEvent *e, gpointer data)
@@ -40,8 +41,7 @@ uiWindow *uiNewWindow(char *title, int width, int height)
 	gtk_window_resize(GTK_WINDOW(w->widget), width, height);
 	g_signal_connect(w->widget, "delete-event", G_CALLBACK(onClosing), w);
 	g_signal_connect(w->widget, "destroy", G_CALLBACK(onDestroy), w);
-	w->container = newContainer();
-	gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(w->widget), w->container);
+	w->content = uiNewParent((uintptr_t) (w->widget));
 	w->onClosing = defaultOnClosing;
 	return w;
 }
@@ -85,17 +85,21 @@ void uiWindowOnClosing(uiWindow *w, int (*f)(uiWindow *, void *), void *data)
 
 void uiWindowSetChild(uiWindow *w, uiControl *c)
 {
-	uiContainer(w->container)->child = c;
-	uiControlSetParent(uiContainer(w->container)->child, (uintptr_t) (w->container));
+	uiParentSetChild(w->content, c);
+	uiParentUpdate(w->content);
 }
 
 int uiWindowMargined(uiWindow *w)
 {
-	return uiContainer(w->container)->margined;
+	return w->margined;
 }
 
 void uiWindowSetMargined(uiWindow *w, int margined)
 {
-	uiContainer(w->container)->margined = margined;
-	updateParent((uintptr_t) (w->container));
+	w->margined = margined;
+	if (w->margined)
+		uiParentSetMargins(w->content, gtkXMargin, gtkYMargin, gtkXMargin, gtkYMargin);
+	else
+		uiParentSetMargins(w->content, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+	uiParentUpdate(w->content);
 }