diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 3ed58bf..39e206f 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ import (
 var argv args
 
 type args struct {
-	Daemon bool `arg:"--daemon"           default:"false"  help:"run in daemon mode"`
-	Port   int  `arg:"--port"             default:"8080"   help:"port to run on"`
+	Verbose bool `arg:"--verbose"          default:"false"  help:"talk more"`
+	Daemon  bool `arg:"--daemon"           default:"false"  help:"run in daemon mode"`
+	Port    int  `arg:"--port"             default:"8080"   help:"port to run on"`
 }
 
 func (args) Version() string {
diff --git a/doGui.go b/doGui.go
index 8ee8c30..7eb60e9 100644
--- a/doGui.go
+++ b/doGui.go
@@ -11,17 +11,17 @@ import (
 
 	"go.wit.com/gui"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gadgets"
-	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/zoopb"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-func debug() {
-	for {
-		time.Sleep(90 * time.Second)
-		log.Info("TODO: zookeeper scan here. repo count =")
-		if me.machinesWin != nil {
-			doMachinesUpgradeTable()
-		}
+// refresh the windows & tables the user has open
+func refresh() {
+	time.Sleep(90 * time.Second)
+	if argv.Verbose {
+		log.Info("zookeeper scan here")
+	}
+	if me.zood != nil {
+		doMachinesUpgradeTable()
 	}
 }
 
@@ -45,29 +45,22 @@ func doGui() {
 	group1 := vbox.NewGroup("Zookeeper Settings")
 	grid := group1.NewGrid("buildOptions", 0, 0)
 
-	grid.NewButton("show zoo", func() {
+	grid.NewButton("zood versions", func() {
 		// if the window exists, just toggle it open or closed
-		if me.machinesWin != nil {
-			me.machinesWin.Toggle()
+		if me.zood != nil {
+			me.zood.Toggle()
 			return
 		}
-
-		me.machinesWin = gadgets.NewGenericWindow("Zoo Machines", "Stuff")
-		me.machinesWin.Win.Custom = func() {
-			log.Info("test delete window here")
+		makeZoodWin()
+	})
+	grid.NewButton("update zood versions", func() {
+		if me.zood != nil {
+			doMachinesUpgradeTable()
 		}
-		me.machinesBox = me.machinesWin.Bottom.Box().SetProgName("TBOX")
-		doMachinesUpgradeTable()
 	})
 
-	// sits here forever
-	debug()
-}
-
-func findVersion(m *zoopb.Machine, pkgname string) string {
-	zood := m.Packages.FindByName(pkgname)
-	if zood == nil {
-		return "n/a"
+	// sit here forever refreshing the GUI
+	for {
+		refresh()
 	}
-	return zood.Version
 }
diff --git a/structs.go b/structs.go
index 20b3a34..154af32 100644
--- a/structs.go
+++ b/structs.go
@@ -29,4 +29,22 @@ type zookeep struct {
 	machinesWin *gadgets.GenericWindow // the machines gui window
 	machinesBox *gui.Node              // the machines gui parent box widget
 	machinesTB  *zoopb.MachinesTable   // the machines gui table buffer
+	zood        *stdTableWin           // the zood version window
+}
+
+type stdTableWin struct {
+	win    *gadgets.GenericWindow // the machines gui window
+	box    *gui.Node              // the machines gui parent box widget
+	TB     *zoopb.MachinesTable   // the machines gui table buffer
+	update bool                   // if the window should be updated
+}
+
+func (w *stdTableWin) Toggle() {
+	if w == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if w.win == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	w.win.Toggle()
 }
diff --git a/windowZooPB.go b/windowZood.go
similarity index 53%
rename from windowZooPB.go
rename to windowZood.go
index 5f7eb74..65304f7 100644
--- a/windowZooPB.go
+++ b/windowZood.go
@@ -8,25 +8,40 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"go.wit.com/gui"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gadgets"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/zoopb"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
+func makeZoodWin() {
+	me.zood = new(stdTableWin)
+	me.zood.win = gadgets.NewGenericWindow("zood daemon versions", "todo: add global controls here")
+	me.zood.win.Custom = func() {
+		log.Info("test delete window here")
+	}
+	group := me.zood.win.Group
+	group.NewButton("save machines.pb", func() {
+		saveMachineState()
+	})
+	me.zood.box = me.zood.win.Bottom.Box().SetProgName("TBOX")
+	doMachinesUpgradeTable()
+}
+
 func doMachinesUpgradeTable() {
-	if me.machinesTB != nil {
-		me.machinesTB.Delete()
-		me.machinesTB = nil
+	if me.zood.TB != nil {
+		me.zood.TB.Delete()
+		me.zood.TB = nil
 	}
 
 	// display the protobuf
-	me.machinesTB = AddMachinesPB(me.machinesBox, me.machines)
+	me.zood.TB = AddMachinesPB(me.zood.box, me.machines)
 	f := func(m *zoopb.Machine) {
 		log.Info("upgrade machine", m.Hostname, "memory", m.Memory/(1024*1024*1024))
 		log.Info("ADD THE CODE TO TRIGGER AN UPGRADE HERE")
 		log.Info("ADD THE CODE TO TRIGGER AN UPGRADE HERE")
 	}
-	me.machinesTB.Custom(f)
-	log.Info("table has uuid", me.machinesTB.GetUuid())
+	me.zood.TB.Custom(f)
+	log.Info("table has uuid", me.zood.TB.GetUuid())
 }
 
 func AddMachinesPB(tbox *gui.Node, pb *zoopb.Machines) *zoopb.MachinesTable {
@@ -40,9 +55,11 @@ func AddMachinesPB(tbox *gui.Node, pb *zoopb.Machines) *zoopb.MachinesTable {
 	t.AddStringFunc("sMB", func(m *zoopb.Machine) string {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("%d mb", m.Memory/(1024*1024))
 	})
+
 	t.AddStringFunc("zood", func(m *zoopb.Machine) string {
 		return findVersion(m, "zood")
 	})
+
 	t.AddTimeFunc("age", func(m *zoopb.Machine) time.Time {
 		return m.Laststamp.AsTime()
 	})
@@ -55,3 +72,23 @@ func AddMachinesPB(tbox *gui.Node, pb *zoopb.Machines) *zoopb.MachinesTable {
 	t.ShowTable()
 	return t
 }
+
+func findVersion(m *zoopb.Machine, pkgname string) string {
+	zood := m.Packages.FindByName(pkgname)
+	if zood == nil {
+		return "n/a"
+	}
+	return zood.Version
+}
+
+func saveMachineState() {
+	now := zoopb.NewMachines()
+
+	all := me.machines.SortByHostname()
+	for all.Scan() {
+		m := all.Next()
+		log.Info("have machine:", m.Hostname)
+		now.Append(m)
+	}
+	//	me.machines.ConfigSave()
+}