diff --git a/run.go b/run.go
index ed35653..ed62f61 100644
--- a/run.go
+++ b/run.go
@@ -22,11 +22,42 @@ var msecDelay int = 20 // check every 20 milliseconds
 // exiterr.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus)
 
 // var newfile *shell.File
+func RunString(args string) bool {
+	return false
+}
 
-func Run(cmdline string) string {
-	test := New()
-	test.Exec(cmdline)
-	return Chomp(test.Buffer)
+func Run(args []string) bool {
+	dir, err := os.Getwd()
+	if err != nil {
+		println("Failed to get current directory:", err)
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return RunPath(dir, args)
+}
+
+func RunPath(path string, args []string) bool {
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		log.Warn("command line was empty")
+		return false
+	}
+	if args[0] == "" {
+		log.Warn("command line was empty")
+		return false
+	}
+	thing := args[0]
+	parts := args[1:]
+	cmd := exec.Command(thing, parts...)
+	cmd.Dir = path
+	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	println("path =", path, "cmd =", strings.Join(args, " "))
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		// Handle error if the command execution fails
+		println("Error executing command:", err.Error())
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
 }
 
 func (cmd *Shell) Run(cmdline string) string {
diff --git a/shell.go b/shell.go
index 0ca2de3..6b4d1a2 100644
--- a/shell.go
+++ b/shell.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func Script(cmds string) int {
 		line = Chomp(line) // this is like 'chomp' in perl
 		log.Log(INFO, "LINE:", line)
 		time.Sleep(1)
-		Run(line)
+		RunString(line)
 	}
 	return 0
 }
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func RM(filename string) {
 
 func Daemon(cmdline string, timeout time.Duration) int {
 	for {
-		Run(cmdline)
+		RunString(cmdline)
 		time.Sleep(timeout)
 	}
 }
@@ -174,6 +174,20 @@ func Exists(filename string) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+// makes the directory
+func Mkdir(dir string) bool {
+	if Dir(dir) {
+		// already a dir
+		return true
+	}
+	if Exists(dir) {
+		// something else is there
+		return false
+	}
+	Run([]string{"mkdir", "-p", dir})
+	return true
+}
+
 // return true if the filename exists (cross-platform)
 func Dir(dirname string) bool {
 	info, err := os.Stat(Path(dirname))