diff --git a/processing/app/PdeBase.java b/processing/app/PdeBase.java
index 052b566da..4b3a42ecb 100644
--- a/processing/app/PdeBase.java
+++ b/processing/app/PdeBase.java
@@ -36,17 +36,22 @@ public class PdeBase implements ActionListener {
   static final String WINDOW_TITLE = "Proce55ing";
 
   // the platforms
-  static final int WINDOWS = 0;
-  static final int MACOS9  = 1;
-  static final int MACOSX  = 2;
-  static final int LINUX   = 3;
+  static final int WINDOWS = 1;
+  static final int MACOS9  = 2;
+  static final int MACOSX  = 3;
+  static final int LINUX   = 4;
   static int platform;
 
   static final String platforms[] = {
     "windows", "macos9", "macosx", "linux"
   };
 
-  static {
+
+  static public void main(String args[]) {
+    //System.getProperties().list(System.out);
+    //System.out.println(System.getProperty("java.class.path"));
+
+    // should be static though the mac is acting sketchy
     if (System.getProperty("mrj.version") != null) {  // running on a mac
       //System.out.println(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
       //System.out.println(System.getProperty("mrj.version"));
@@ -70,12 +75,7 @@ public class PdeBase implements ActionListener {
 	System.out.println("unhandled osname: " + osname);
       }
     }
-  }
 
-
-  static public void main(String args[]) {
-    //System.getProperties().list(System.out);
-    //System.out.println(System.getProperty("java.class.path"));
     PdeBase app = new PdeBase();
   }
 
@@ -542,18 +542,62 @@ public class PdeBase implements ActionListener {
       editor.skExport();
 
     } else if (command.equals("Proce55ing.net")) {
-      try {
-	Runtime.getRuntime().exec("c:\\progra~1\\intern~1\\iexplore http://Proce55ing.net");
-	//Runtime.getRuntime().exec("start http://Proce55ing.net");
-      } catch (IOException e) {
-	e.printStackTrace();
+      if (platform == WINDOWS) {
+	try {
+	  Runtime.getRuntime().exec("c:\\progra~1\\intern~1\\iexplore http://Proce55ing.net");
+	  //Runtime.getRuntime().exec("start http://Proce55ing.net");
+	} catch (IOException e) {
+	  e.printStackTrace();
+	}
+
+      } else if ((platform == MACOS9) || (platform == MACOSX)) {
+#ifdef MACOS
+	try {
+	  MRJFileUtils.openURL("http://Proce55ing.net");
+	} catch (IOException e) {
+	  e.printStackTrace();
+	}
+#endif
+
+      } else if (platform == LINUX) {
+	try {
+	  // wild ass guess
+	  Runtime.getRuntime().exec("mozilla http://Proce55ing.net");
+	} catch (IOException e) {
+	  e.printStackTrace();
+	}
+
+      } else {
+	System.err.println("unspecified platform");
       }
 
     } else if (command.equals("Reference")) {
-      try {
-	Runtime.getRuntime().exec("cmd /c reference\\environment.html");
-      } catch (IOException e) {
-	e.printStackTrace();
+      if (platform == WINDOWS) {
+	try {
+	  Runtime.getRuntime().exec("cmd /c reference\\index.html");
+	} catch (IOException e) {
+	  e.printStackTrace();
+	}
+
+      } else if ((platform == MACOSX) || (platform == MACOS9)) {
+#ifdef MACOS
+	try {
+	  MRJFileUtils.openURL("http://Proce55ing.net/reference/");
+	} catch (IOException e) {
+	  e.printStackTrace();
+	}
+#endif
+
+      } else if (platform == LINUX) {
+	try {
+	  // another wild ass guess
+	  Runtime.getRuntime().exec("mozilla reference/index.html");
+	} catch (IOException e) {
+	  e.printStackTrace();
+	}
+
+      } else {
+	System.err.println("unspecified platform");
       }
 
     } else if (command.equals("Quit")) {
diff --git a/processing/todo.txt b/processing/todo.txt
index cec65eef2..440fc5f1c 100644
--- a/processing/todo.txt
+++ b/processing/todo.txt
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ X   bagel complaint: could not load font Univerx76.vlw.gz
 X   why the x? what's going on?
 X try using serial on macosx
 X   works, but about as well as the windows version used to
+X try using serial on macos9..
+X   works well! shockingly well
+X os9: apple control keys register as edit events in buffer
+X   use Toolkit.getShortcutKeymask() to figure out what's up
+X   -> seems to have fixed itself (?)
+X test presentation mode for window sizing status on macos
+X serial port code needs to be implemented
+X   something that docks better to java serial api
 
 
 pde
@@ -26,28 +34,21 @@ a _ click on project name to quickly go to rename mode
 a _ make scrollbar for console
 a _ remove projects if created but nothing happens to them
 a _ see if play being highlighted can be implemented again
+a _   especially important because of speed issues
 a _ text editor? jedit's textarea class? hmm? hmm? 
 a _ make win/linux write stderr to stderr.txt like the mac
 a _   this will be useful until i implement scrollbar
 
 macos9
-a _ apple control keys register as edit events in buffer
-a _   use Toolkit.getShortcutKeymask() to figure out what's up
 a _ set file type/creator for .pde files.. TEXTPde1
-a _ try using serial
 
 macosx
-a _ test presentation mode for window sizing status
+a _ arrow keys don't work in the textarea
 
 macos
 a _ implement menuitem to load ref and to launch p5.net
 a _   MRJFileUtils.openURL(String url) throws IOException
 a _   also, ref should go to index page, not environment
-a _ serial port code needs to be implemented
-a _   something that docks better to java serial api
-a _ dataInputStream, setUseCaches on the url to false
-a _   URLConnection.setUseCaches(false)
-a _   parent.obj.close() on the url
 a _ check to see if lines for error messages are off
 
 windows
@@ -385,6 +386,9 @@ b _   MRJQuitHandler (confirm quit, may need to be in another thread)
 b _   MRJOpenApplicationHandler and MRJOpenDocumentHandler
 b _     especially the open document fella
 b _     under osx, app won't get doc unless app already launched
+b _ dataInputStream, setUseCaches on the url to false
+b _   URLConnection.setUseCaches(false)
+b _   parent.obj.close() on the url
 
 
 PDE / macosx