diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6dce3b4..8ea100b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
+VERSION = $(shell git describe --tags)
+
+all:
 all: build
 	reset
 	./basicwindow
 
 build:
-ifeq ($(GO111MODULE),)
-	echo no. you must use GO111MODULE to build here
-	false
-else
 	-rm -f basicwindow
-	go build -v -x
-endif
+	GO111MODULE=off go build -v -x \
+		    -ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION}"
 
 stderr: build
 	echo "writing to /tmp/basicwindow.out"
diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..44b5b55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/alexflint/go-arg"
+)
+
+/*
+	this parses the command line arguements
+	this enables command line options from other packages like 'gui' and 'log'
+*/
+
+var argv args
+
+type args struct {
+	Demo string `arg:"positional"                   help:"this is just a demo"`
+}
+
+func (a args) Description() string {
+	return `
+This basicwindow example demonstrates multiple windows
+`
+}
+
+func init() {
+	pp := arg.MustParse(&argv)
+
+	// for very new users or users unfamilar with the command line, this may help them
+	if argv.Demo == "version" || argv.Demo == "help" || argv.Demo == "?" {
+		pp.WriteHelp(os.Stdout)
+		os.Exit(0)
+	}
+}
+
+func (args) Version() string {
+	return "basicwindow " + VERSION
+}
diff --git a/debugger.go b/debugger.go
index 116d549..f7a6aca 100644
--- a/debugger.go
+++ b/debugger.go
@@ -5,17 +5,11 @@ package main
 */
 
 import (
-	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/debugger"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-var args struct {
-}
-
 func init() {
-	arg.MustParse(&args)
-
 	if debugger.ArgDebug() {
 		log.Info("cmd line --debugger == true")
 		go func() {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 5aa8ef8..df51bdf 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-// This creates a simple hello world window
 package main
 
 import (
@@ -7,6 +6,9 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
+// sent via -ldflags
+var VERSION string
+
 // This is the beginning of the binary tree of widgets
 var myGui *gui.Node