diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2a5b530..350c71e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 all:
-	GO111MODULE=off go build
+	GO111MODULE=off go vet
 
 goimports:
 	goimports -w *.go
diff --git a/common.go b/common.go
index 7daa87a..eab7925 100644
--- a/common.go
+++ b/common.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package repostatus
 
 import (
 	"strings"
+	"unicode"
 
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 	// "go.wit.com/gui/gui"
@@ -206,3 +207,39 @@ func (rs *RepoStatus) Name() string {
 	}
 	return rs.Path()
 }
+
+func trimNonNumericFromStart(s string) string {
+	for i, r := range s {
+		if unicode.IsDigit(r) {
+			return s[i:]
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func (rs *RepoStatus) DebianReleaseVersion() string {
+	lasttag := rs.GetLastTagVersion()
+	newv := trimNonNumericFromStart(lasttag)
+	if newv == "" {
+		newv = "0.0"
+		if lasttag != "" {
+			newv += "-" + lasttag
+		}
+	}
+	log.Info("ValidDebianPackageVersion:", newv)
+	return newv
+}
+
+func (rs *RepoStatus) DebianCurrentVersion() string {
+	cbversion := rs.GetCurrentBranchVersion()
+
+	newv := trimNonNumericFromStart(cbversion)
+	if newv == "" {
+		newv = "0.0"
+	}
+	if rs.CheckDirty() {
+		newv += "-dirty"
+	}
+	log.Info("ValidDebianPackageVersion:", newv)
+	return newv
+}
diff --git a/gitConfig.go b/gitConfig.go
index ce8834c..595345f 100644
--- a/gitConfig.go
+++ b/gitConfig.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package repostatus
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"errors"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -84,8 +85,7 @@ func (rs *RepoStatus) readGitConfig() error {
 		log.Log(WARN, "readGitConfig() trying up one directory instead", filename)
 		file, err = os.Open(filename)
 		if err != nil {
-			panic("couldn't open .git/config")
-			return nil
+			return errors.New("couldn't open .git/config")
 		}
 	}
 	defer file.Close()
diff --git a/unix.go b/unix.go
index 12ed300..6c7faef 100644
--- a/unix.go
+++ b/unix.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
-	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
@@ -183,6 +182,7 @@ func RunCmd(workingpath string, parts []string) (error, bool, string) {
 		// panic("fucknuts")
 		return err, false, string(output)
 
+		/* todo: see if there is a way to get the exit value
 		// The command failed (non-zero exit status)
 		if exitErr, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
 			// Assert that it is an exec.ExitError and get the exit code
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ func RunCmd(workingpath string, parts []string) (error, bool, string) {
 		} else {
 			log.Warn("cmd.Run() failed with %s\n", err)
 		}
+		*/
 	}
 
 	tmp := string(output)