diff --git a/external/libs b/external/libs
index 075a26b..8929a0c 160000
--- a/external/libs
+++ b/external/libs
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 075a26b8f9ec93110cd3dd22a6e319e970b40519
+Subproject commit 8929a0cebccda978dbb611808c8e66298b56fba0
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index d0ff4f4..e5f3e8e 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -63,13 +63,13 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG),release) # release
 LIBRARIES += \
-	external/bin/libs/release/bflibc/libbfc.a \
 	external/bin/libs/release/bflibcpp/libbfcpp.a \
+	external/bin/libs/release/bflibc/libbfc.a \
 	external/bin/libs/release/bfnet/libbfnet.a
 else
 LIBRARIES += \
-	external/bin/libs/debug/bflibc/libbfc-debug.a \
 	external/bin/libs/debug/bflibcpp/libbfcpp-debug.a \
+	external/bin/libs/debug/bflibc/libbfc-debug.a \
 	external/bin/libs/debug/bfnet/libbfnet-debug.a
 endif
 
diff --git a/src/agent.cpp b/src/agent.cpp
index 1f41a76..76613e2 100644
--- a/src/agent.cpp
+++ b/src/agent.cpp
@@ -328,22 +328,25 @@ void Agent::receivedPayloadTypeChatroomResignation(const Packet * pkt) {
 }
 
 int Agent::sendPacket(const Packet * pkt) {
+	if (!pkt) return 1;
+
+	LOG_DEBUG("sending package header type=%d", pkt->header.type);
 	SealedPacket c(pkt, sizeof(Packet));
 
-	return this->_sc->queueData(c.data(), c.size());
+	return this->_sc->queueData(c.data());
 }
 
-void Agent::packetReceive(SocketEnvelope * envelope) {
+void Agent::packetReceive(Envelope * envelope) {
 	if (!envelope)
 		return;
 
 	BFRetain(envelope);
 
-	SealedPacket c(envelope->buf()->data(), envelope->buf()->size());
+	SealedPacket c(envelope->data()->buffer(), envelope->data()->size());
 
 	Connection * sc = envelope->connection();
-	const Packet * p = (const Packet *) c.data();
-	size_t size = c.size();
+	const Packet * p = (const Packet *) c.data()->buffer();
+	size_t size = c.data()->size();
 
 	if (!sc || !p) {
 		BFRelease(envelope);
@@ -370,6 +373,7 @@ void Agent::packetReceive(SocketEnvelope * envelope) {
 
 	BFRetain(agent);
 
+	LOG_DEBUG("agent received packet header: %d", p->header.type);
 	switch (p->header.type) {
 	case kPayloadTypeMessage:
 		agent->receivedPayloadTypeMessage(p);
@@ -402,6 +406,7 @@ void Agent::packetReceive(SocketEnvelope * envelope) {
 		agent->receivedPayloadTypeChatroomEnrollmentForm(p);
 		break;
 	default:
+		LOG_DEBUG("unknown header type: %d", p->header.type);
 		break;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/agent.hpp b/src/agent.hpp
index 89581eb..aa6f6ba 100644
--- a/src/agent.hpp
+++ b/src/agent.hpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class User;
 
 namespace BF {
 	namespace Net {
-		class SocketEnvelope;
+		class Envelope;
 		class Connection;
 	}
 }
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class Agent : public BF::Object {
 	 * sc : each agent should have this
 	 * bub : copy data if you need to use after function returns
 	 */
-	static void packetReceive(BF::Net::SocketEnvelope * envelope);
+	static void packetReceive(BF::Net::Envelope * envelope);
 
 	/**
 	 * this is a callback described by the Socket family
diff --git a/src/chat.cpp b/src/chat.cpp
index 5c9efc8..1cf0ff5 100644
--- a/src/chat.cpp
+++ b/src/chat.cpp
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ int Chat::Main(int argc, char * argv[]) {
 		LOG_OPEN;
 
 		LOG_DEBUG("============ App started ============");
+		LOG_DEBUG("packet size: %d", CHAT_SOCKET_BUFFER_SIZE);
 
 		if (showversion) {
 			_ChatShowVersion(argv[0]);
diff --git a/src/chatroom.cpp b/src/chatroom.cpp
index d3d8bdd..cdff2a1 100644
--- a/src/chatroom.cpp
+++ b/src/chatroom.cpp
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ void _ChatroomReleaseAgent(Agent * a) { BFRelease(a); }
 Chatroom::Chatroom() : Object() {
 #ifndef TESTING
 	if (Chat::SocketGetMode() != SOCKET_MODE_SERVER) {
-		String msg("Can only create a raw chatroom from server mode (current mode '%c')", Chat::SocketGetMode());
-		throw Exception(msg);
+		throw Exception("Can only create a raw chatroom from server mode (current mode '%c')", Chat::SocketGetMode());
 	}
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/interface.cpp b/src/interface.cpp
index 4684b27..c082eda 100644
--- a/src/interface.cpp
+++ b/src/interface.cpp
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ int _InterfaceDrawUserInputDraft(
 	werase(inputwin);
 	box(inputwin, 0, 0);
 
-	_InterfaceFixTextInBoxedWindow(inputwin, userInput, 1);
+	_InterfaceFixTextInBoxedWindow(inputwin, userInput.cString(), 1);
 
 	wrefresh(inputwin);
 
@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ int Interface::processinputStateLobby(InputBuffer & userInput) {
 			} else {
 				char chatroomname[CHAT_ROOM_NAME_SIZE];
 				if (cmd.count() > 1) {
-					strncpy(chatroomname, cmd[1], CHAT_ROOM_NAME_SIZE);
+					strncpy(chatroomname, cmd[1].cString(), CHAT_ROOM_NAME_SIZE);
 				} else {
 					// set up chat room name
 					//
@@ -820,7 +820,6 @@ int Interface::windowLoop() {
 	this->_prevstate = kInterfaceStateUnknown;
 	
 	this->_state = kInterfaceStatePromptUsername;
-	//this->_state = kInterfaceStateLobby;
 	
 	while (this->_state.get() != kInterfaceStateQuit) {
 		// draw ui based on current state
diff --git a/src/log.hpp b/src/log.hpp
index 3bc4a67..7b59ff4 100644
--- a/src/log.hpp
+++ b/src/log.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /**
  * author: brando
- * date:
+ * date: 2/12/24
  */
 
 #ifndef LOG_HPP
diff --git a/src/office.cpp b/src/office.cpp
index 96dd3e1..fe14d4a 100644
--- a/src/office.cpp
+++ b/src/office.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 using namespace BF;
 using namespace BF::Net;
 
-Atomic<Queue<SocketEnvelope *>> inbox;
+Atomic<Queue<Envelope *>> inbox;
 BFLock inboxlock;
 BFThreadAsyncID _tid = NULL;
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ int Office::quitApplication(const User * user) {
 	return Agent::broadcast(&p);
 }
 
-void Office::packetReceive(SocketEnvelope * envelope) {
+void Office::packetReceive(Envelope * envelope) {
 	// push into queue
 	BFRetain(envelope);
 	inbox.get().push(envelope);
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ void _OfficeInDataWorkerThread(void * in) {
 			inbox.lock();
 
 			// get first item from the queue
-			SocketEnvelope * envelope = inbox.unsafeget().front();
+			Envelope * envelope = inbox.unsafeget().front();
 
 			// send it over to the agents
 			Agent::packetReceive(envelope);
diff --git a/src/office.hpp b/src/office.hpp
index 90d06a1..35093ce 100644
--- a/src/office.hpp
+++ b/src/office.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class User;
 
 namespace BF {
 	namespace Net {
-		class SocketEnvelope;
+		class Envelope;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ namespace BF {
  */
 namespace Office {
 
-void packetReceive(BF::Net::SocketEnvelope * envelope);
+void packetReceive(BF::Net::Envelope * envelope);
 
 int start();
 int stop();
diff --git a/src/operand.cpp b/src/operand.cpp
index 851b000..4031a1a 100644
--- a/src/operand.cpp
+++ b/src/operand.cpp
@@ -27,11 +27,10 @@ int _OperandAcceptArgsCompare(char * a, char * b) {
 	return strcmp(a, b);
 }
 
-Operand::Operand(std::initializer_list<const char *> list) : Object() {
+Operand::Operand(std::initializer_list<String> list) : Object() {
 	this->_acceptedArgs.setReleaseCallback(_OperandAcceptArgsRelease);
-	for (const char * arg : list) {
-		char * buf = BFStringCopyString(arg);
-		this->_acceptedArgs.add(buf);
+	for (const String & arg : list) {
+		this->_acceptedArgs.add(arg.cStringCopy());
 	}
 	this->_acceptedArgs.setComparator(_OperandAcceptArgsCompare);
 }
diff --git a/src/operand.hpp b/src/operand.hpp
index b601759..dcc4a62 100644
--- a/src/operand.hpp
+++ b/src/operand.hpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
  */
 class Operand : public BF::Object {
 public:
-	Operand(std::initializer_list<const char *> list);
+	Operand(std::initializer_list<BF::String> list);
 	virtual ~Operand();
 
 	bool compare(const Operand & op);
diff --git a/src/sealedpacket.cpp b/src/sealedpacket.cpp
index 0bfb993..6c1eee4 100644
--- a/src/sealedpacket.cpp
+++ b/src/sealedpacket.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <bflibc/bflibc.h>
 }
 
+using namespace BF;
+
 SealedPacket::SealedPacket(const void * data, size_t size) {
+	/*
 	this->_dataPlainSize = size;
 	
 	this->_dataPlain = malloc(sizeof(char) * size);
@@ -20,16 +23,24 @@ SealedPacket::SealedPacket(const void * data, size_t size) {
 		return;
 
 	memcpy(this->_dataPlain, data, size);
+	*/
+	this->_data = new Data(size, (const unsigned char *) data);
 }
 
 SealedPacket::~SealedPacket() { 
-	BFFree(this->_dataPlain);
+	//BFFree(this->_dataPlain);
+	BFRelease(this->_data);
 }
 
 bool SealedPacket::isEncrypted() {
 	return false;
 }
 
+const Data * SealedPacket::data() const {
+	return this->_data;
+}
+
+/*
 const void * SealedPacket::data() {
 	return this->_dataPlain;
 }
@@ -37,4 +48,4 @@ const void * SealedPacket::data() {
 size_t SealedPacket::size() {
 	return this->_dataPlainSize;
 }
-
+*/
diff --git a/src/sealedpacket.hpp b/src/sealedpacket.hpp
index a7a4049..aa6f475 100644
--- a/src/sealedpacket.hpp
+++ b/src/sealedpacket.hpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #define SEALED_PACKET_HPP
 
 #include <bflibcpp/object.hpp>
+#include <bflibcpp/data.hpp>
 
 /**
  * handles encryption and serialization of the
@@ -22,12 +23,12 @@ class SealedPacket : public BF::Object {
 	~SealedPacket();
 
 	bool isEncrypted();
-	const void * data();
-	size_t size();
+	
+	const BF::Data * data() const;
 
 private:
-	void * _dataPlain;
-	size_t _dataPlainSize;
+
+	BF::Data * _data;
 };
 
 #endif // SEALED_PACKET_HPP
diff --git a/testbench/ciphersymmetric_tests.hpp b/testbench/ciphersymmetric_tests.hpp
index ea1de0d..3f5af7a 100644
--- a/testbench/ciphersymmetric_tests.hpp
+++ b/testbench/ciphersymmetric_tests.hpp
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ BFTEST_UNIT_FUNC(test_LongString, 2<<10, {
 
 	if (!result) {
 		String res = dec;
-		if (strcmp(res.cString(), str)) {
+		if (res != str) {
 			printf("%s != %s\n", res.cString(), str.cString());
 			result = 3;
 		}
diff --git a/testbench/command_tests.hpp b/testbench/command_tests.hpp
index aded932..a2a7d0a 100644
--- a/testbench/command_tests.hpp
+++ b/testbench/command_tests.hpp
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ BFTEST_UNIT_FUNC(test_commandargs, 2<<10, {
 	Command c(buf);
 
 	BF_ASSERT(c.op() == Operand({"command"}));
-	BF_ASSERT(!strcmp(c[1], "subcommand"));
-	BF_ASSERT(!strcmp(c[2], "arg0"));
-	BF_ASSERT(!strcmp(c[3], "arg1"));
+	BF_ASSERT(!strcmp(c[1].c_str(), "subcommand"));
+	BF_ASSERT(!strcmp(c[2].c_str(), "arg0"));
+	BF_ASSERT(!strcmp(c[3].c_str(), "arg1"));
 })
 
 BFTEST_UNIT_FUNC(test_commandargscount, 2<<10, {
diff --git a/todo.md b/todo.md
index 2d3e1f8..5e389e1 100644
--- a/todo.md
+++ b/todo.md
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
-x.x 
+**x.x** 
 - [ ] window dynamic resizing
 - [ ] add to homebrew package manager
 - [ ] docker?
 - [ ] ai bot chatroom
 - [ ] clean interface.cpp. split some code into categorical source files
 
-0.4
+**0.4**
 - [ ] wrap entire communication in encryption
 - [ ] user data window editor
 - [ ] ability to change user name
 - [ ] get list of users in chatroom
 
-0.3
+**0.3**
 - [x] improved controls (easier commands or guidance)
 	- [x] use of ":" for long commands
 	- [x] single key commands
@@ -25,14 +25,15 @@ x.x
 - [x] move package logic to libs
 - [ ] host vs server (allow user to run this application as a service)
 - [x] detect if users are active. Protect the case when remote users are disconnected unintentionally
+- [ ] fix ncurses borders
 
-0.2.1
+**0.2.1**
 - [x] issue with sending messages between two machines that are on macos and linux
 	- [x] test on two macs
 - [x] build a macos universal binary
 - [x] properly quit to make sure the receiver isn't overworking
 
-0.2
+**0.2**
 - [x] cross platform
 - [x] configure a local openssl usage in this repo
 - [x] chatroom encryption
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ x.x
 			- https://github.com/openssl/openssl/discussions/24924
 - [x] separate sources for libs
 
-0.1
+**0.1**
 - [x] make linux build
 - [x] make macos build
 - [x] test release builds