diff --git a/create.go b/create.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b6de72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/create.go
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"math/rand"
+	"net/http"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
+	pb "go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/virtbuf"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+// attempts to create a new virtual machine
+
+func create(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
+	msg, err := ioutil.ReadAll(r.Body) // Read the body as []byte
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "ReadAll() error =", err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	var d *pb.Droplet
+	d = new(pb.Droplet)
+	if err := d.UnmarshalJSON(msg); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.Info("Got msg:", string(msg))
+	log.Info("hostname =", d.Hostname)
+	name := d.Hostname
+	tmpd := findDroplet(name)
+	if tmpd != nil {
+		result := "create error: Droplet " + name + " is already defined"
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, result)
+		return errors.New(result)
+	}
+	if d.Uuid == "" {
+		u := uuid.New()
+		d.Uuid = u.String()
+	}
+	return nil
+	if len(d.Networks) == 0 {
+		mac, err := getNewMac()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		var newNet *pb.Network
+		newNet = new(pb.Network)
+		newNet.Mac = mac
+		d.Networks = append(d.Networks, newNet)
+		// d.AddDefaultNetwork(mac)
+	}
+	me.cluster.Droplets = append(me.cluster.Droplets, d)
+
+	result, err := startDroplet(d)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, result)
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, "startDroplet(d) failed:", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, result)
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "START=OK")
+	return nil
+}
+
+// for now, because sometimes this should write to stdout and
+// sometimes to http socket, it returns a string
+func startDroplet(d *pb.Droplet) (string, error) {
+	var result string
+	name := d.Hostname
+	// validate the droplet
+	if err := ValidateDroplet(d); err != nil {
+		result = "ValidateDroplet() failed droplet " + d.Hostname
+		return result, err
+	}
+
+	// is the droplet already on?
+	if d.CurrentState == pb.DropletState_ON {
+		result = "EVENT start droplet " + d.Hostname + " is already ON"
+		return result, errors.New(result)
+	}
+
+	// how long has the cluster been stable?
+	// wait until it is stable. use this to throttle droplet starts
+	dur := time.Since(me.unstable)
+	result = fmt.Sprintln("should start droplet", name, "here. grid stable for:", shell.FormatDuration(dur))
+	if dur < me.unstableTimeout {
+		tmp := shell.FormatDuration(me.unstableTimeout)
+		result += "grid is still too unstable (unstable timeout = " + tmp + ")"
+		return result, errors.New("grid is still unstable")
+	}
+
+	// make the list of hypervisors that are active and can start new droplets
+	var pool []*HyperT
+	for _, h := range me.hypers {
+		// this droplet is set to use this and only this hypervisor
+		if d.ForceHypervisor == h.pb.Hostname {
+			ok, b := h.start(d)
+			if ok {
+				return result + b, nil
+			}
+			return result + b, errors.New("start " + name + " on hypervisor " + h.pb.Hostname)
+		}
+
+		// skip hypervisors marked inactive
+		if h.pb.Active != true {
+			result += fmt.Sprintln("hypervisor is inactive:", name, "for", h.pb.Hostname, h.pb.Active)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// the config file says this droplet should run on this hypervisor
+		// attempt to start the droplet here. use this even if the hypervisor is inactive?
+		if d.PreferredHypervisor == h.pb.Hostname {
+			ok, b := h.start(d)
+			if ok {
+				return result + b, nil
+			}
+			return result + b, errors.New("start " + name + " on hypervisor " + h.pb.Hostname)
+		}
+
+		result += fmt.Sprintln("hypervisor ready:", name, "for", h.pb.Hostname, h.pb.Active)
+		pool = append(pool, h)
+	}
+
+	// left here as an example of how to actually do random numbers
+	// it's complete mathematical chaos. Randomness is simple when
+	// human interaction occurs -- which is exactly what happens most
+	// of the time. most random shit is bullshit. all you really need
+	// is exactly this to make sure the random functions work as they
+	// should. Probably, just use this everywhere in all cases. --jcarr
+	rand.Seed(time.Now().UnixNano())
+	a := 0
+	b := len(pool)
+	n := a + rand.Intn(b-a)
+	result += fmt.Sprintln("pool has", len(pool), "members", "rand =", n)
+	h := pool[n]
+
+	// update/resend the search directories to the hypervisor
+	result += fmt.Sprintln("h.sendDirs() HERE")
+	result += fmt.Sprintln("h.sendDirs() HERE")
+	h.sendDirs()
+
+	ok, output := h.start(d)
+	if ok {
+		return result + output, nil
+	}
+	return result + output, errors.New("start " + name + " on hypervisor " + h.pb.Hostname)
+}
diff --git a/dump.go b/dump.go
index e8522d5..6d46c30 100644
--- a/dump.go
+++ b/dump.go
@@ -31,14 +31,14 @@ func dumpCluster(w http.ResponseWriter) {
 
 // list running droplets and droplets that should be running
 func dumpDroplets(w http.ResponseWriter, full bool) {
-	for i, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
+	for _, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
 		var macs []string
 		for _, n := range d.Networks {
 			macs = append(macs, n.Mac)
 		}
 
 		// this line in golang could replace 80 lines of COBOL
-		header := fmt.Sprintf("%3d %20s %3s %8s", i, strings.Join(macs, " "), d.CurrentState, d.CurrentHypervisor)
+		header := fmt.Sprintf("%-3s %20s %-8s", d.CurrentState, strings.Join(macs, " "), d.CurrentHypervisor)
 
 		var filenames string
 		for _, disk := range d.Disks {
diff --git a/http.go b/http.go
index 8bb74b9..a6092a2 100644
--- a/http.go
+++ b/http.go
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ func okHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	if route == "/create" {
+		create(w, r)
+		return
+	}
+
 	// toggle poll logging
 	if route == "/poll" {
 		if POLL.Get() {
diff --git a/validate.go b/validate.go
index a95ce29..a4caa52 100644
--- a/validate.go
+++ b/validate.go
@@ -133,6 +133,35 @@ func ValidateDiskFilenames(cluster *pb.Cluster) []*pb.Event {
 	return alle
 }
 
+func getNewMac() (string, error) {
+	// mac address map to check for duplicates
+	var macs map[string]string
+	macs = make(map[string]string)
+
+	for _, d := range me.cluster.Droplets {
+		for _, n := range d.Networks {
+			// log.Println("network:", n.Mac, d.Uuid, d.Hostname)
+			if _, ok := macs[n.Mac]; ok {
+				// UUID already exists
+				log.Info("duplicate MAC", n.Mac, macs[n.Mac])
+				log.Info("duplicate MAC", n.Mac, d.Hostname)
+				return "", errors.New("duplicate MAC: " + d.Hostname + " and " + macs[n.Mac])
+			}
+			macs[n.Mac] = d.Hostname
+		}
+	}
+
+	var mac string = "22:22:22:22:22:09"
+	for {
+		if _, ok := macs[mac]; ok {
+			log.Info("MAC already defined", mac, macs[mac])
+			continue
+		}
+		return mac, nil
+	}
+	return mac, nil
+}
+
 // runs on startup. dies if there are duplicates
 // the config file must then be edited by hand
 func ValidateDroplets(cluster *pb.Cluster) (map[string]string, map[string]string, error) {