diff --git a/linuxstatus/draw.go b/linuxstatus/draw.go
index 5b76b49..6b7d6bd 100644
--- a/linuxstatus/draw.go
+++ b/linuxstatus/draw.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ func draw(ls *LinuxStatus) {
 	ls.uid		= gadgets.NewOneLiner(ls.grid, "UID =")
 	ls.IPv4		= gadgets.NewOneLiner(ls.grid, "Current IPv4 =")
 	ls.IPv6		= gadgets.NewOneLiner(ls.grid, "Current IPv6 =")
+	ls.workingIPv4	= gadgets.NewOneLiner(ls.grid, "Real IPv4 =")
 	ls.workingIPv6	= gadgets.NewOneLiner(ls.grid, "Real IPv6 =")
 	// ls.nics		= gadgets.NewOneLiner(ls.grid, "network intefaces =")
 
diff --git a/linuxstatus/hostname.go b/linuxstatus/hostname.go
index d31299f..184e593 100644
--- a/linuxstatus/hostname.go
+++ b/linuxstatus/hostname.go
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ package linuxstatus
 
 import (
 	"strings"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
-	"go.wit.com/shell"
 
 	// will try to get this hosts FQDN
 	"github.com/Showmax/go-fqdn"
@@ -124,7 +124,14 @@ func lookupHostname() {
 // On Linux, /etc/hosts, /etc/hostname
 //      and domainname and hostname
 func goodHostname() bool {
-	hostname := shell.Chomp(shell.Cat("/etc/hostname"))
+	content, err := ioutil.ReadFile("/etc/hostname")
+	if err != nil {
+		// this needs to be a fixWindow() error
+		log.Error(err)
+	}
+
+	hostname := string(content)
+
 	log.Log(NOW, "hostname =", hostname)
 
 	hs := run("hostname -s")
diff --git a/linuxstatus/linuxloop.go b/linuxstatus/linuxloop.go
index b2572d1..9127206 100644
--- a/linuxstatus/linuxloop.go
+++ b/linuxstatus/linuxloop.go
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 // GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 3, 29 June 2007
 // Copyright (c) 2023 WIT.COM, Inc.
+
 // This is a control panel for DNS
 
+// This is the main Linux kernel / OS code
+// to check your network settings are correct
+// This does (and should do) no network or external checking
+// This is just the state of your OS
+
 package linuxstatus
 
 import 	(
@@ -9,30 +15,55 @@ import 	(
 	"os/user"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"sort"
 
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
 func linuxLoop() {
 	me.changed = false
-	duration := timeFunction(lookupHostname)
-	log.Log(INFO, "getHostname() execution Time: ", duration, "me.changed =", me.changed)
 
-	duration = timeFunction(scanInterfaces)
-	log.Log(NET, "scanInterfaces() execution Time: ", duration)
+	// checks for a VALID hostname
+	lookupHostname()
+	if me.changed {
+		log.Log(CHANGE, "lookupHostname() detected a change")
+	}
+
+	// scans the linux network intefaces for your available IPv4 & IPv6 addresses
+	scanInterfaces()
+	if me.changed {
+		log.Log(CHANGE, "scanInterfaces() detected a change")
+	}
 	for i, t := range me.ifmap {
 		log.Log(NET, strconv.Itoa(i) + " iface = " + t.iface.Name)
 	}
 
+	// get all the real A records from all the network interfaces linux can see
+	a := realA()
+	sort.Strings(a)
+	tmp := strings.Join(a, "\n")
+	if tmp != me.workingIPv4.Get() {
+		log.Log(CHANGE, "realAAAA() your real IPv6 addresses changed")
+		me.changed = true
+		me.workingIPv4.Set(tmp)
+	}
+
 	// get all the real AAAA records from all the network interfaces linux can see
-	tmp := strings.Join(realAAAA(), "\n")
-	tmp = sortLines(tmp)
-	me.workingIPv6.Set(tmp)
+	aaaa := realAAAA()
+	sort.Strings(aaaa)
+	tmp = strings.Join(aaaa, "\n")
+	if tmp != me.workingIPv6.Get() {
+		log.Log(CHANGE, "realAAAA() your real IPv6 addresses changed")
+		me.changed = true
+		me.workingIPv6.Set(tmp)
+	}
 
 	user, _ := user.Current()
-	log.Log(INFO, "os.Getuid =", user.Username, os.Getuid())
-	if (me.uid != nil) {
-		me.uid.Set(user.Username + " (" + strconv.Itoa(os.Getuid()) + ")")
+	tmp = user.Username + " (" + strconv.Itoa(os.Getuid()) + ")"
+	if tmp != me.uid.Get() {
+		log.Log(CHANGE, "os.Getuid =", user.Username, os.Getuid())
+		me.changed = true
+		me.uid.Set(tmp)
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/linuxstatus/net.go b/linuxstatus/net.go
index 2926946..7170765 100644
--- a/linuxstatus/net.go
+++ b/linuxstatus/net.go
@@ -269,3 +269,10 @@ func deleteChanges() bool {
 
 	return changed
 }
+
+func (ls *LinuxStatus) GetIPv4() []string {
+	if ! me.Ready() {return nil}
+	tmp := "(none) fixme"
+	return strings.Split(tmp, "\n")
+}
+
diff --git a/linuxstatus/structs.go b/linuxstatus/structs.go
index de9936d..42fd420 100644
--- a/linuxstatus/structs.go
+++ b/linuxstatus/structs.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ type LinuxStatus struct {
 	uid		*gadgets.OneLiner
 	IPv4		*gadgets.OneLiner
 	IPv6		*gadgets.OneLiner
+	workingIPv4	*gadgets.OneLiner
 	workingIPv6	*gadgets.OneLiner
 	Interfaces	*gui.Node
 	speed		*gadgets.OneLiner
diff --git a/linuxstatus/unix.go b/linuxstatus/unix.go
index 99509c0..88f64ec 100644
--- a/linuxstatus/unix.go
+++ b/linuxstatus/unix.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import 	(
 	"strings"
 
 	"go.wit.com/log"
-	"go.wit.com/shell"
 )
 
 func CheckSuperuser() bool {
@@ -89,7 +88,8 @@ func run(s string) string {
 		return ""
 	}
 
-	tmp := shell.Chomp(out.String())
+	// Trim leading and trailing whitespace from each line
+	tmp := strings.TrimSpace(out.String())
 	// Output the results
 	log.Info("Command Output:", tmp)