diff --git a/human.go b/human.go
index fa7fb8c..d202673 100644
--- a/human.go
+++ b/human.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ func CheckProtoc() bool {
 		userInstructions()
 		switch runtime.GOOS {
 		case "linux":
-			linuxInstall("protoc")
+			Install("protoc")
 		case "macos":
 			log.Info("todo: print instructions here for installing protoc on macos. brew install?")
 		case "windows":
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func CheckProtoc() bool {
 		userInstructions()
 		switch runtime.GOOS {
 		case "linux":
-			linuxInstall("protoc-gen-go")
+			Install("protoc-gen-go")
 		case "macos":
 			log.Info("todo: print instructions here for installing protoc on macos. brew install?")
 		case "windows":
diff --git a/install.go b/install.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f9199dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package fhelp
+
+// auto run protoc with the correct args
+
+func Install(pkg string) error {
+	return osInstall(pkg)
+}
diff --git a/install_darwin.go b/install_darwin.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ac97d4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install_darwin.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package fhelp
+
+// auto run protoc with the correct args
+
+import (
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+func osInstall(pkg string) error {
+	log.Info("todo: add instructions on macos to install", pkg)
+	return log.Errorf("user didn't install package %s", pkg)
+}
diff --git a/linux.go b/install_linux.go
similarity index 84%
rename from linux.go
rename to install_linux.go
index efdb6e8..0ed600b 100644
--- a/linux.go
+++ b/install_linux.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-func linuxInstall(pkg string) {
+func osInstall(pkg string) error {
 	cmd := []string{"apt", "install", "-y", pkg}
 	if pkg == "protoc" {
 		cmd = []string{"apt", "install", "-y", "protobuf-compiler"}
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ func linuxInstall(pkg string) {
 		switch line {
 		case "y":
 			shell.Sudo(cmd)
+			return nil
 		default:
 		}
 	}
+	return log.Errorf("user didn't install package %s", pkg)
 }
diff --git a/install_windows.go b/install_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3e99f01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package fhelp
+
+// auto run protoc with the correct args
+
+import (
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+func osInstall(pkg string) error {
+	log.Info("todo: add instructions on windows to install", pkg)
+	return log.Errorf("user didn't install package %s", pkg)
+}