diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index edac95c..2949aae 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ plugins: plugins-gocui plugins-andlabs
 
 plugins-gocui:
 	GO111MODULE="off" go build -v -x -C toolkit/gocui -buildmode=plugin -o ../gocui.so
+	GO111MODULE="off" go build -v -x -C toolkit/nocui -buildmode=plugin -o ../nocui.so
 
 plugins-andlabs:
 	GO111MODULE="off" go build -v -x -C toolkit/andlabs -buildmode=plugin -o ../andlabs.so
diff --git a/toolkit/gocui/structs.go b/toolkit/gocui/structs.go
index e9f89af..b2a8b20 100644
--- a/toolkit/gocui/structs.go
+++ b/toolkit/gocui/structs.go
@@ -85,11 +85,40 @@ type config struct {
 	writeMutex sync.Mutex
 }
 
+// deprecate these
 var (
 	initialMouseX, initialMouseY, xOffset, yOffset int
 	globalMouseDown, msgMouseDown, movingMsg bool
 )
 
+// this is the standard binary tree structure for toolkits
+type node struct {
+	parent	*node
+	children []*node
+
+	WidgetId	int	// widget ID
+	WidgetType	toolkit.WidgetType
+	ParentId	int	// parent ID
+
+	Name   string
+	Text   string
+
+	// This is how the values are passed back and forth
+	// values from things like checkboxes & dropdown's
+	B	bool
+	I	int
+	S	string
+
+	A	any // switch to this or deprecate this? pros/cons?
+
+	// This is used for things like a slider(0,100)
+	X      int
+	Y      int
+
+	// the internal plugin toolkit structure
+	tk *cuiWidget
+}
+
 // the gocui way
 // the logical size of the widget
 // corner starts at in the upper left corner
diff --git a/toolkit/nocui/Makefile b/toolkit/nocui/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..acbf437
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toolkit/nocui/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+all: plugin
+	ldd ../nocui.so
+
+plugin:
+	GO111MODULE="off" go build -v -x -buildmode=plugin -o ../nocui.so
diff --git a/toolkit/nocui/README.md b/toolkit/nocui/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..018b9ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toolkit/nocui/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# nogui
+
+Package gui implements a abstraction layer for Go visual elements.
+
+This is a sample plugin. It's a skeleton intended to be used when making a new toolkit plugin.
diff --git a/toolkit/nocui/action.go b/toolkit/nocui/action.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b542ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toolkit/nocui/action.go
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"git.wit.org/wit/gui/toolkit"
+)
+
+func (n *node) show(b bool) {
+}
+
+func (n *node) enable(b bool) {
+}
+
+func (n *node) pad(at toolkit.ActionType) {
+	switch n.WidgetType {
+	case toolkit.Group:
+		switch at {
+		case toolkit.Margin:
+			// SetMargined(true)
+		case toolkit.Unmargin:
+			// SetMargined(false)
+		case toolkit.Pad:
+			// SetMargined(true)
+		case toolkit.Unpad:
+			// SetMargined(false)
+		}
+	case toolkit.Tab:
+	case toolkit.Window:
+	case toolkit.Grid:
+	case toolkit.Box:
+	case toolkit.Textbox:
+		log(logError, "TODO: implement ActionType =", at)
+	default:
+		log(logError, "TODO: implement pad() for", at)
+	}
+}
+
+func (n *node) move(newParent *node) {
+	p := n.parent
+
+	switch p.WidgetType {
+	case toolkit.Group:
+	case toolkit.Tab:
+		// tabSetMargined(tParent.uiTab, true)
+	case toolkit.Window:
+		// t.uiWindow.SetBorderless(false)
+	case toolkit.Grid:
+		// t.uiGrid.SetPadded(true)
+	case toolkit.Box:
+		log(logInfo, "TODO: move() where =", p.ParentId)
+		log(logInfo, "TODO: move() for widget =", n.WidgetId)
+	default:
+		log(logError, "TODO: need to implement move() for type =", n.WidgetType)
+		log(logError, "TODO: need to implement move() for where =", p.ParentId)
+		log(logError, "TODO: need to implement move() for widget =", n.WidgetId)
+	}
+}
+
+func (n *node) Delete() {
+	p := n.parent
+	log(logNow, "uiDelete()", n.WidgetId, "to", p.WidgetId)
+
+	switch p.WidgetType {
+	case toolkit.Group:
+		// tParent.uiGroup.SetMargined(true)
+	case toolkit.Tab:
+		// tabSetMargined(tParent.uiTab, true)
+	case toolkit.Window:
+		// t.uiWindow.SetBorderless(false)
+	case toolkit.Grid:
+		// t.uiGrid.SetPadded(true)
+	case toolkit.Box:
+		log(logNow, "tWidget.boxC =", p.Name)
+		log(logNow, "is there a tParent parent? =", p.parent)
+		// this didn't work:
+		// tWidget.uiControl.Disable()
+		// sleep(.8)
+		// tParent.uiBox.Append(tWidget.uiControl, stretchy)
+	default:
+		log(logError, "TODO: need to implement uiDelete() for widget =", n.WidgetId, n.WidgetType)
+		log(logError, "TODO: need to implement uiDelete() for parent =", p.WidgetId, p.WidgetType)
+	}
+}
+
+func action(a toolkit.Action) {
+	log(logNow, "rawAction() START a.ActionType =", a.ActionType)
+	log(logNow, "rawAction() START a.S =", a.S)
+
+	if (a.ActionType == toolkit.InitToolkit) {
+		// TODO: make sure to only do this once
+		// go uiMain.Do(func() {
+		// 	ui.Main(demoUI)
+			// go catchActionChannel()
+		// })
+		// try doing this on toolkit load in init()
+		return
+	}
+
+	log(logNow, "rawAction() START a.WidgetId =", a.WidgetId, "a.ParentId =", a.ParentId)
+	switch a.WidgetType {
+	case toolkit.Flag:
+		// flag(&a)
+		return
+	}
+
+	n := rootNode.findWidgetId(a.WidgetId)
+
+	switch a.ActionType {
+	case toolkit.Add:
+		// QueueMain(func() {
+		// 	add(a)
+		// })
+		// sleep(.1)
+	case toolkit.Show:
+		n.show(true)
+	case toolkit.Hide:
+		n.show(false)
+	case toolkit.Enable:
+		n.enable(true)
+	case toolkit.Disable:
+		n.enable(false)
+	case toolkit.Get:
+		// n.setText(a.S)
+	case toolkit.GetText:
+		switch a.WidgetType {
+		case toolkit.Textbox:
+			a.S = n.S
+		}
+	case toolkit.Set:
+		// n.setText(a.S)
+	case toolkit.SetText:
+		// n.setText(a.S)
+	case toolkit.AddText:
+		// n.setText(a.S)
+	case toolkit.Margin:
+		n.pad(toolkit.Unmargin)
+	case toolkit.Unmargin:
+		n.pad(toolkit.Margin)
+	case toolkit.Pad:
+		n.pad(toolkit.Pad)
+	case toolkit.Unpad:
+		n.pad(toolkit.Unpad)
+	case toolkit.Delete:
+		n.Delete()
+	case toolkit.Move:
+		log(logNow, "rawAction() attempt to move() =", a.ActionType, a.WidgetType)
+		newParent := rootNode.findWidgetId(a.ParentId)
+		n.move(newParent)
+	default:
+		log(logError, "rawAction() Unknown =", a.ActionType, a.WidgetType)
+	}
+	log(logInfo, "rawAction() END =", a.ActionType, a.WidgetType)
+}
diff --git a/toolkit/nocui/common.go b/toolkit/nocui/common.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e0ffdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toolkit/nocui/common.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"git.wit.org/wit/gui/toolkit"
+)
+
+// searches the binary tree for a WidgetId
+func (n *node) findWidgetId(id int) *node {
+	if (n == nil) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if n.WidgetId == id {
+		return n
+	}
+
+	for _, child := range n.children {
+		newN := child.findWidgetId(id)
+		if (newN != nil) {
+			return newN
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func addWidget(a *toolkit.Action) *node {
+	n := new(node)
+	n.WidgetType = a.WidgetType
+	n.WidgetId = a.WidgetId
+	n.ParentId = a.ParentId
+
+	// copy the data from the action message
+	n.Name = a.Name
+	n.Text = a.Text
+	n.I = a.I
+	n.S = a.S
+	n.B = a.B
+	n.X = a.X
+	n.Y = a.Y
+
+	// store the internal toolkit information
+	n.tk = new(nocuiT)
+
+	if (a.WidgetType == toolkit.Root) {
+		log(logInfo, "addWidget() Root")
+		return n
+	}
+
+	if (rootNode.findWidgetId(a.WidgetId) != nil) {
+		log(logError, "addWidget() WidgetId already exists", a.WidgetId)
+		return rootNode.findWidgetId(a.WidgetId)
+	}
+
+	// add this new widget on the binary tree
+	n.parent = rootNode.findWidgetId(a.ParentId)
+	if n.parent != nil {
+		n.parent.children = append(n.parent.children, n)
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
+func (n *node) doUserEvent() {
+	if (callback == nil) {
+		log(logError, "doUserEvent() callback == nil", n.WidgetId)
+		return
+	}
+	var a toolkit.Action
+	a.WidgetId = n.WidgetId
+	a.Name = n.Name
+	a.Text = n.Text
+	a.S = n.S
+	a.I = n.I
+	a.B = n.B
+	a.ActionType = toolkit.User
+	log(logInfo, "doUserEvent() START: send a user event to the callback channel")
+	callback <- a
+	log(logInfo, "doUserEvent() END:   sent a user event to the callback channel")
+	return
+}
diff --git a/toolkit/nocui/log.go b/toolkit/nocui/log.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..baf57d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toolkit/nocui/log.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package main
+
+import 	(
+	"io"
+//	"fmt"
+//	"strings"
+	witlog "git.wit.org/wit/gui/log"
+)
+
+// various debugging flags
+var logNow bool = true	// useful for active development
+var logError bool = true
+var logWarn bool = false
+var logInfo bool = false
+var logVerbose bool = false
+
+var outputS []string
+
+func log(a ...any) {
+	witlog.Where = "wit/gocui"
+	witlog.Log(a...)
+}
+
+func sleep(a ...any) {
+	witlog.Sleep(a...)
+}
+
+func exit(a ...any) {
+	witlog.Exit(a...)
+}
+
+/*
+func newLog(a ...any) {
+	s := fmt.Sprint(a...)
+	tmp := strings.Split(s, "\n")
+	outputS = append(outputS, tmp...)
+	if (len(outputS) > 50) {
+		outputS = outputS[10:]
+	}
+	if (me.baseGui != nil) {
+		v, _ := me.baseGui.View("msg")
+		if (v != nil) {
+			v.Clear()
+			fmt.Fprintln(v, strings.Join(outputS, "\n"))
+		}
+	}
+}
+*/
+
+func setOutput(w io.Writer) {
+	if (w == nil) {
+		return
+	}
+	witlog.SetOutput(w)
+	// witlog.SetToolkitOutput(newLog)
+}
diff --git a/toolkit/nocui/main.go b/toolkit/nocui/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7309782
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toolkit/nocui/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+	"git.wit.org/wit/gui/toolkit"
+)
+
+// this is the channel we get requests to make widgets
+var pluginChan chan toolkit.Action
+
+// the starting point of the binary tree
+var rootNode *node
+
+var muAction sync.Mutex
+
+func catchActionChannel() {
+	log(logNow, "catchActionChannel() START")
+	for {
+		log(logNow, "catchActionChannel() for loop")
+	    	select {
+		case a := <-pluginChan:
+			log(logNow, "catchActionChannel() SELECT widget id =", a.WidgetId, a.Name)
+			log(logNow, "catchActionChannel() STUFF", a.WidgetId, a.ActionType, a.WidgetType)
+			muAction.Lock()
+			action(a)
+			muAction.Unlock()
+			log(logNow, "catchActionChannel() STUFF END", a.WidgetId, a.ActionType, a.WidgetType)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// Other goroutines must use this to access the GUI
+//
+// You can not acess / process the GUI thread directly from
+// other goroutines. This is due to the nature of how
+// Linux, MacOS and Windows work (they all work differently. suprise. surprise.)
+//
+// this sets the channel to send user events back from the plugin
+func Callback(guiCallback chan toolkit.Action) {
+	callback = guiCallback
+}
+
+func PluginChannel() chan toolkit.Action {
+	return pluginChan
+}
+
+// This is important. This sets the defaults for the gui. Without this, there isn't correct padding, etc
+func init() {
+	log(logNow, "Init() START")
+	log(logInfo, "Init()")
+
+	// andlabs = make(map[int]*andlabsT)
+	pluginChan = make(chan toolkit.Action, 1)
+
+	log(logNow, "Init() start channel reciever")
+	go catchActionChannel()
+	log(logNow, "Init() END")
+}
diff --git a/toolkit/nocui/structs.go b/toolkit/nocui/structs.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed004de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toolkit/nocui/structs.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package main
+
+import "git.wit.org/wit/gui/toolkit"
+
+var callback chan toolkit.Action
+
+type node struct {
+	parent	*node
+	children []*node
+
+	WidgetId	int	// widget ID
+	WidgetType	toolkit.WidgetType
+	ParentId	int	// parent ID
+
+	Name   string
+	Text   string
+
+	// This is how the values are passed back and forth
+	// values from things like checkboxes & dropdown's
+	B	bool
+	I	int
+	S	string
+
+	A	any // switch to this or deprecate this? pros/cons?
+
+	// This is used for things like a slider(0,100)
+	X      int
+	Y      int
+
+	// the internal plugin toolkit structure
+	tk *nocuiT
+}
+
+// stores the raw toolkit internals
+type nocuiT struct {
+	Width  int
+	Height int
+
+	c int
+	val map[int]string
+}