diff --git a/human.go b/human.go
index 61da744..73c7089 100644
--- a/human.go
+++ b/human.go
@@ -4,19 +4,44 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"runtime"
 
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
 func CheckProtoc() bool {
-	if checkCmdSimple("protoc") {
+	if !checkCmdSimple("protoc") {
 		userInstructions()
-		log.Sleep(2)
+		switch runtime.GOOS {
+		case "linux":
+			linuxInstall("protoc")
+		case "macos":
+			log.Info("todo: print instructions here for installing protoc on macos. brew install?")
+		case "windows":
+			log.Info("todo: print instructions here for installing protoc on windows")
+		default:
+			log.Info("todo: print instructions here for installing protoc on", runtime.GOOS)
+		}
 		return false
 	}
-	if checkCmdSimple("protoc-gen-go") {
+	if !checkCmdSimple("protoc") {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if !checkCmdSimple("protoc-gen-go") {
 		userInstructions()
-		log.Sleep(2)
+		switch runtime.GOOS {
+		case "linux":
+			linuxInstall("protoc-gen-go")
+		case "macos":
+			log.Info("todo: print instructions here for installing protoc on macos. brew install?")
+		case "windows":
+			log.Info("todo: print instructions here for installing protoc on windows")
+		default:
+			log.Info("todo: print instructions here for installing protoc on", runtime.GOOS)
+		}
+	}
+	if !checkCmdSimple("protoc-gen-go") {
 		return false
 	}
 	return true
@@ -43,6 +68,8 @@ func checkCmd(cmd string) (string, error) {
 	return path, err
 }
 
+/*
+
 func oldcheckCmd(cmd string) {
 	// path, err := exec.LookPath(cmd)
 	_, err := exec.LookPath(cmd)
@@ -54,6 +81,7 @@ func oldcheckCmd(cmd string) {
 		// fmt.Printf("%s is available at %s\n", cmd, path)
 	}
 }
+*/
 
 // todo: figure out how to determine, in a package, what the program name is
 func okExit(s string) {
diff --git a/linux.go b/linux.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efdb6e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/linux.go
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+package fhelp
+
+// auto run protoc with the correct args
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+func linuxInstall(pkg string) {
+	cmd := []string{"apt", "install", "-y", pkg}
+	if pkg == "protoc" {
+		cmd = []string{"apt", "install", "-y", "protobuf-compiler"}
+	}
+	log.Info("Would you like to run", "sudo", cmd, "now?")
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "(y)es or (n)o ? ")
+
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line := scanner.Text()
+		line = strings.TrimSpace(line)
+		line = strings.ToLower(line)
+		switch line {
+		case "y":
+			shell.Sudo(cmd)
+		default:
+		}
+	}
+}