diff --git a/settings.go b/settings.go
index 0e23764..e5bc65c 100644
--- a/settings.go
+++ b/settings.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ func (all *Repos) UpdateGoPath(name string, gopath string) bool {
 }
 
 // returns true if gopath is readonly()
+// will attempt to match IsWritable("foo") against anything ending in "foo"
 func (all *Repos) IsReadOnly(gopath string) bool {
 	var match *Repo
 
@@ -46,6 +47,13 @@ func (all *Repos) IsReadOnly(gopath string) bool {
 				return false
 			}
 		}
+		// if gopath == "foo" will return false if "go.wit.com/apps/foo" is Writable
+		base := filepath.Base(r.GoPath)
+		if base == gopath {
+			if r.Writable {
+				return false
+			}
+		}
 		// search for potential dir matches
 		if r.Directory {
 			// test the dir
@@ -77,7 +85,13 @@ func (all *Repos) IsReadOnly(gopath string) bool {
 }
 
 // is this a non-publishable repo?
-func (all *Repos) IsPrivate(gopath string) bool {
+// matches package names from apt
+//
+// IsPrivate("foo") will match anything in the config file ending in "foo"
+//
+// IsPrivate("go.foo.com/jcarr/foo") returns true if private
+// IsPrivate("foo") also returns true if "go.bar.com/jcarr/foo" is private
+func (all *Repos) IsPrivate(thing string) bool {
 	var match *Repo
 
 	// sort by path means the simple 'match' logic
@@ -86,23 +100,30 @@ func (all *Repos) IsPrivate(gopath string) bool {
 	loop := all.SortByPath() // get the list of repos
 	for loop.Scan() {
 		r := loop.Repo()
-		if r.GoPath == gopath {
+		if r.GoPath == thing {
 			// if private is set here, then ok, otherwise
 			// still check if a Directory match exists
 			if r.Private {
 				return true
 			}
 		}
+		base := filepath.Base(r.GoPath)
+		if base == thing {
+			if r.Private {
+				return true
+			}
+		}
+		// check to see if IsPrivate("foo")
 		// search for potential dir matches
 		if r.Directory {
 			// test the dir
-			if strings.HasPrefix(gopath, r.GoPath) {
+			if strings.HasPrefix(thing, r.GoPath) {
 				match = r
 			}
 		}
 	}
 	if match == nil {
-		// log.Info("did not match in IsPrivate()", gopath)
+		// log.Info("did not match in IsPrivate()", thing)
 		return false
 	}
 
@@ -110,18 +131,21 @@ func (all *Repos) IsPrivate(gopath string) bool {
 	return match.Private
 }
 
-// returns the deb package
+// returns the deb package name
+// this let's you check a git tag version against a package .deb version
+// allows gopath's to not need to match the .deb name
+// this is important in lots of cases! It is normal and happens often enough.
 func (all *Repos) DebName(gopath string) string {
-
+	// get "zookeeper" from "go.wit.com/apps/zookeeper"
 	normalBase := filepath.Base(gopath)
 
 	loop := all.SortByPath()
 	for loop.Scan() {
 		r := loop.Repo()
 		if r.GoPath == gopath {
-			// if private is set here, then ok, otherwise
-			// still check if a Directory match exists
-			if r.DebName == "" {
+			// returns "zookeeper-go" for "go.wit.com/apps/zookeeper"
+			if r.DebName != "" {
+				// log.Info("FOUND DebName", r.DebName)
 				return r.DebName
 			} else {
 				return normalBase