diff --git a/src/info/main.c b/src/info/main.c
index 738a6ffec..ad671fd9d 100644
--- a/src/info/main.c
+++ b/src/info/main.c
@@ -4,23 +4,6 @@
 #include <notcurses/notcurses.h>
 #include "internal.h" // internal headers
 
-// write(2) with retry on partial write or interrupted write
-static inline ssize_t
-writen(int fd, const void* buf, size_t len){
-  ssize_t r;
-  size_t w = 0;
-  while(w < len){
-    if((r = write(fd, (const char*)buf + w, len - w)) < 0){
-      if(errno == EAGAIN || errno == EBUSY || errno == EINTR){
-        continue;
-      }
-      return -1;
-    }
-    w += r;
-  }
-  return w;
-}
-
 static inline wchar_t
 capbool(const tinfo* ti, bool cap){
   if(ti->caps.utf8){
@@ -31,67 +14,61 @@ capbool(const tinfo* ti, bool cap){
 }
 
 static int
-unicodedumper(const struct notcurses* nc, FILE* fp, tinfo* ti, const char* indent){
-  fprintf(fp, "%sutf8%lc quad%lc sex%lc braille%lc images%lc videos%lc\n",
-          indent,
-          capbool(ti, ti->caps.utf8),
-          capbool(ti, ti->caps.quadrants),
-          capbool(ti, ti->caps.sextants),
-          capbool(ti, ti->caps.braille),
-          capbool(ti, notcurses_canopen_images(nc)),
-          capbool(ti, notcurses_canopen_videos(nc)));
+unicodedumper(const struct notcurses* nc, struct ncplane* n, tinfo* ti, const char* indent){
+  ncplane_printf(n, "%sutf8%lc quad%lc sex%lc braille%lc images%lc videos%lc\n",
+                 indent,
+                 capbool(ti, ti->caps.utf8),
+                 capbool(ti, ti->caps.quadrants),
+                 capbool(ti, ti->caps.sextants),
+                 capbool(ti, ti->caps.braille),
+                 capbool(ti, notcurses_canopen_images(nc)),
+                 capbool(ti, notcurses_canopen_videos(nc)));
   if(ti->caps.utf8){
-    fprintf(fp, " {%ls} {%ls} ⎧%.122ls⎫        ⎧█ ⎫ 🯰🯱\n",
-            NCHALFBLOCKS, NCQUADBLOCKS, NCSEXBLOCKS);
-    fprintf(fp, "                           ⎩%ls⎭        ⎪🮋▏⎪ 🯲🯳\n",
-            NCSEXBLOCKS + 32);
-    fprintf(fp, " ⎧%.6ls%.3ls⎫ ⎧%.6ls%.3ls⎫ ⎧%.6ls%.3ls⎫ ⎧%.6ls%.3ls⎫                                            ⎪🮊▎⎪ 🯴🯵\n",
-            NCBOXLIGHTW, NCBOXLIGHTW + 4,
-            NCBOXHEAVYW, NCBOXHEAVYW + 4,
-            NCBOXROUNDW, NCBOXROUNDW + 4,
-            NCBOXDOUBLEW, NCBOXDOUBLEW + 4);
-    fprintf(fp, " ⎩%.6ls%.3ls⎭ ⎩%.6ls%.3ls⎭ ⎩%.6ls%.3ls⎭ ⎩%.6ls%.3ls⎭                                            ⎪🮉▍⎪ 🯶🯷\n",
-            NCBOXLIGHTW + 2, NCBOXLIGHTW + 5,
-            NCBOXHEAVYW + 2, NCBOXHEAVYW + 5,
-            NCBOXROUNDW + 2, NCBOXROUNDW + 5,
-            NCBOXDOUBLEW + 2, NCBOXDOUBLEW + 5);
-    fprintf(fp, " ⎡%.192ls⎤ ⎨▐▌⎬ 🯸🯹\n", NCBRAILLEEGCS);
-    fprintf(fp, " ⎢%.192ls⎥ ⎪🮈▋⎪\n", NCBRAILLEEGCS + 64);
-    fprintf(fp, " ⎢%.192ls⎥ ⎪🮇▊⎪\n", NCBRAILLEEGCS + 128);
-    fprintf(fp, " ⎣%.192ls⎦ ⎪▕▉⎪\n", NCBRAILLEEGCS + 192);
-    fprintf(fp, "  ⎛%ls⎞ ▔🭶🭷🭸🭹🭺🭻▁ 🭁 🭂 🭃 🭄 🭅 🭆 🭑 🭐 🭏 🭎 🭍 🭌 🭆🭑 🭄🭏 🭅🭐 🭃🭎 🭂🭍 🭁🭌 🭨🭪 ⎩ █⎭\n",
-            NCEIGHTHSBOTTOM);
-    fprintf(fp, "  ⎝%ls⎠ ▏🭰🭱🭲🭳🭴🭵▕ 🭒 🭓 🭔 🭕 🭖 🭧 🭜 🭟 🭠 🭡 🭞 🭝 🭧🭜 🭕🭠 🭖🭡 🭔🭟 🭓🭞 🭒🭝 🭪🭨       \n",
-            NCEIGHTSTOP);
+    ncplane_printf(n, " {%ls} {%ls} ⎧%.122ls⎫        ⎧█ ⎫ 🯰🯱\n",
+                   NCHALFBLOCKS, NCQUADBLOCKS, NCSEXBLOCKS);
+    ncplane_printf(n, "                           ⎩%ls⎭        ⎪🮋▏⎪ 🯲🯳\n",
+                   NCSEXBLOCKS + 32);
+    ncplane_printf(n, " ⎧%.6ls%.3ls⎫ ⎧%.6ls%.3ls⎫ ⎧%.6ls%.3ls⎫ ⎧%.6ls%.3ls⎫                                            ⎪🮊▎⎪ 🯴🯵\n",
+                   NCBOXLIGHTW, NCBOXLIGHTW + 4,
+                   NCBOXHEAVYW, NCBOXHEAVYW + 4,
+                   NCBOXROUNDW, NCBOXROUNDW + 4,
+                   NCBOXDOUBLEW, NCBOXDOUBLEW + 4);
+    ncplane_printf(n, " ⎩%.6ls%.3ls⎭ ⎩%.6ls%.3ls⎭ ⎩%.6ls%.3ls⎭ ⎩%.6ls%.3ls⎭                                            ⎪🮉▍⎪ 🯶🯷\n",
+                   NCBOXLIGHTW + 2, NCBOXLIGHTW + 5,
+                   NCBOXHEAVYW + 2, NCBOXHEAVYW + 5,
+                   NCBOXROUNDW + 2, NCBOXROUNDW + 5,
+                   NCBOXDOUBLEW + 2, NCBOXDOUBLEW + 5);
+    ncplane_printf(n, " ⎡%.192ls⎤ ⎨▐▌⎬ 🯸🯹\n", NCBRAILLEEGCS);
+    ncplane_printf(n, " ⎢%.192ls⎥ ⎪🮈▋⎪\n", NCBRAILLEEGCS + 64);
+    ncplane_printf(n, " ⎢%.192ls⎥ ⎪🮇▊⎪\n", NCBRAILLEEGCS + 128);
+    ncplane_printf(n, " ⎣%.192ls⎦ ⎪▕▉⎪\n", NCBRAILLEEGCS + 192);
+    ncplane_printf(n, "  ⎛%ls⎞ ▔🭶🭷🭸🭹🭺🭻▁ 🭁 🭂 🭃 🭄 🭅 🭆 🭑 🭐 🭏 🭎 🭍 🭌 🭆🭑 🭄🭏 🭅🭐 🭃🭎 🭂🭍 🭁🭌 🭨🭪 ⎩ █⎭\n",
+                   NCEIGHTHSBOTTOM);
+    ncplane_printf(n, "  ⎝%ls⎠ ▏🭰🭱🭲🭳🭴🭵▕ 🭒 🭓 🭔 🭕 🭖 🭧 🭜 🭟 🭠 🭡 🭞 🭝 🭧🭜 🭕🭠 🭖🭡 🭔🭟 🭓🭞 🭒🭝 🭪🭨       \n",
+                   NCEIGHTSTOP);
   }
   return 0;
 }
 
 static void
-tinfo_debug_bitmaps(const tinfo* ti, FILE* fp, const char* indent){
+tinfo_debug_bitmaps(struct ncplane* n, const tinfo* ti, const char* indent){
   if(!ti->pixel_draw){
-    fprintf(fp, "%sdidn't detect bitmap graphics support\n", indent);
+    ncplane_printf(n, "%sdidn't detect bitmap graphics support\n", indent);
   }else if(ti->sixel_maxy){
-    fprintf(fp, "%smax sixel size: %dx%d colorregs: %u\n",
-            indent, ti->sixel_maxy, ti->sixel_maxx, ti->color_registers);
+    ncplane_printf(n, "%smax sixel size: %dx%d colorregs: %u\n",
+                   indent, ti->sixel_maxy, ti->sixel_maxx, ti->color_registers);
   }else if(ti->color_registers){
-    fprintf(fp, "%ssixel colorregs: %u\n", indent, ti->color_registers);
+    ncplane_printf(n, "%ssixel colorregs: %u\n", indent, ti->color_registers);
   }else{
-    fprintf(fp, "%srgba pixel graphics supported\n", indent);
+    ncplane_printf(n, "%srgba pixel graphics supported\n", indent);
   }
 }
 
 static void
-tinfo_debug_style(const tinfo* ti, FILE* fp, const char* name, int esc, int deesc){
-  const char* code = get_escape(ti, esc);
-  if(code){
-    term_emit(code, fp, false);
-  }
-  fprintf(fp, "%s", name);
-  if(code){
-    code = get_escape(ti, deesc);
-    term_emit(code, fp, false);
-  }
+tinfo_debug_style(struct ncplane* n, const char* name, int style){
+  ncplane_set_styles(n, style);
+  ncplane_putstr(n, name);
+  ncplane_set_styles(n, NCSTYLE_NONE);
 }
 
 static inline wchar_t
@@ -100,8 +77,8 @@ capyn(const tinfo* ti, const char* cap){
 }
 
 static void
-tinfo_debug_caps(const tinfo* ti, FILE* debugfp, const char* indent){
-  fprintf(debugfp, "%srgb%lc ccc%lc af%lc ab%lc appsync%lc u7%lc cup%lc vpa%lc hpa%lc sgr%lc sgr0%lc op%lc fgop%lc bgop%lc\n",
+tinfo_debug_caps(struct ncplane* n, const tinfo* ti, const char* indent){
+  ncplane_printf(n, "%srgb%lc ccc%lc af%lc ab%lc appsync%lc u7%lc cup%lc vpa%lc hpa%lc sgr%lc sgr0%lc op%lc fgop%lc bgop%lc\n",
           indent,
           capbool(ti, ti->caps.rgb),
           capbool(ti, ti->caps.can_change_colors),
@@ -117,37 +94,28 @@ tinfo_debug_caps(const tinfo* ti, FILE* debugfp, const char* indent){
           capyn(ti, get_escape(ti, ESCAPE_OP)),
           capyn(ti, get_escape(ti, ESCAPE_FGOP)),
           capyn(ti, get_escape(ti, ESCAPE_BGOP)));
-  fprintf(debugfp, "%sbackground of 0x%06lx is %sconsidered transparent\n", indent, ti->bg_collides_default & 0xfffffful,
+  ncplane_printf(n, "%sbackground of 0x%06lx is %sconsidered transparent\n", indent, ti->bg_collides_default & 0xfffffful,
                    (ti->bg_collides_default & 0x01000000) ? "" : "not ");
 }
 
 static void
-tinfo_debug_styles(const tinfo* ti, FILE* debugfp, const char* indent){
-  fprintf(debugfp, "%s", indent);
-  tinfo_debug_style(ti, debugfp, "bold", ESCAPE_BOLD, ESCAPE_SGR0);
-  fprintf(debugfp, " ");
-  tinfo_debug_style(ti, debugfp, "ital", ESCAPE_SITM, ESCAPE_RITM);
-  fprintf(debugfp, " ");
-  tinfo_debug_style(ti, debugfp, "struck", ESCAPE_SMXX, ESCAPE_RMXX);
-  fprintf(debugfp, " ");
-  tinfo_debug_style(ti, debugfp, "ucurl", ESCAPE_SMULX, ESCAPE_SMULNOX);
-  fprintf(debugfp, " ");
-  tinfo_debug_style(ti, debugfp, "uline", ESCAPE_SMUL, ESCAPE_RMUL);
-  fprintf(debugfp, "\n");
+tinfo_debug_styles(struct ncplane* n, const char* indent){
+  ncplane_putstr(n, indent);
+  tinfo_debug_style(n, "bold", NCSTYLE_BOLD);
+  ncplane_putchar(n, ' ');
+  tinfo_debug_style(n, "ital", NCSTYLE_ITALIC);
+  ncplane_putchar(n, ' ');
+  tinfo_debug_style(n, "struck", NCSTYLE_STRUCK);
+  ncplane_putchar(n, ' ');
+  tinfo_debug_style(n, "ucurl", NCSTYLE_UNDERCURL);
+  ncplane_putchar(n, ' ');
+  tinfo_debug_style(n, "uline", NCSTYLE_UNDERLINE);
+  ncplane_putchar(n, '\n');
 }
 
 // we should probably change this up to use regular good ol'
 // notcurses_render() without the alternate screen, no?
 int main(void){
-  char* mbuf = NULL;
-  size_t len = 0;
-  FILE* mstream;
-  if((mstream = open_memstream(&mbuf, &len)) == NULL){
-    return EXIT_FAILURE;
-  }
-  if(fprintf(mstream, "\n") != 1){
-    return EXIT_FAILURE;
-  }
   notcurses_options nopts = {
     .flags = NCOPTION_NO_ALTERNATE_SCREEN,
   };
@@ -156,20 +124,17 @@ int main(void){
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
   const char indent[] = " ";
-  tinfo_debug_caps(&nc->tcache, mstream, indent);
-  tinfo_debug_styles(&nc->tcache, mstream, indent);
-  tinfo_debug_bitmaps(&nc->tcache, mstream, indent);
-  unicodedumper(nc, mstream, &nc->tcache, indent);
-  if(fclose(mstream)){
-    notcurses_stop(nc);
-    fprintf(stderr, "Error closing memstream after %zuB\n", len);
-    return EXIT_FAILURE;
-  }
-  if(writen(fileno(stdout), mbuf, len) < 0){
+  struct ncplane* stdn = notcurses_stdplane(nc);
+  // FIXME want cursor wherever it was
+  // FIXME want scrolling on standard plane
+  tinfo_debug_caps(stdn, &nc->tcache, indent);
+  tinfo_debug_styles(stdn, indent);
+  tinfo_debug_bitmaps(stdn, &nc->tcache, indent);
+  unicodedumper(nc, stdn, &nc->tcache, indent);
+  if(notcurses_render(nc)){
     notcurses_stop(nc);
-    fprintf(stderr, "Error writing %zuB memstream\n", len);
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
-  free(mbuf);
+  // FIXME want cursor wherever it ought be
   return notcurses_stop(nc) ? EXIT_FAILURE : EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }