diff --git a/src/server/slave.c b/src/server/slave.c
--- a/src/server/slave.c
+++ b/src/server/slave.c
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *arvg[])
 		fprintf(stderr "run distrend -c username] [emailaddr] to register")
 	}
 	if('they use a -c flag according to getopt, with 2 args'){
-		register_user(username, email); // which returns a uniquely random url to a key
-		get(uniquely-random-url-to-key);
+		*key = register_user(username, email); // register_user returns a uniquely random url to a key
+		get("http://protofusion.org/distren/key/%s",key);
 		fprintf(stderr, "you registered, hopefully successfully. Invoke distrend with no args now.");
 	}
 	if('username is in conf file and key is present'){
@@ -47,20 +47,24 @@ int main(int argc, char *arvg[])
 	}
 
 	if('slave recieves "start frame#, job#"'){
+		fprintf(stderr, "Got frame %d in job %d, preparing to render...",frame,job);
 		get('http://distren.protofusion.org/srv/job#.tgz');
 		exec('tar -xvf job#.tgz /tmp/distren/job#'); // somehow
-		exec_blender(job#.blend, job#.frame#.JPG, job#); // (check the args, we'll need to adjust for different output formats)... set SLAVESTATUS=1 while rendering, SLAVESTATUS=2 when done
+		exec_blender(jobname.blendfile, jobnum.framenum.JPG, jobnum); // (check the args, we'll need to adjust for different output formats)... set SLAVESTATUS=1 while rendering, SLAVESTATUS=2 when done
 	}
 	if(SLAVESTATUS==2){
-		tell_the_server("done with frame# in job#");
+		tell_the_server("Completed");
+		fprintf(stderr, "Finished frame %d in job %d",framenum,jobnum);
 		SLAVESTATUS=0;
 	}
 	if(SLAVESTATUS==0){
-		tell_the_server("i ain't got no frames to render");
+		tell_the_server("Idle");
+		fprintf(stderr, "Idle. No frames to render.");
 	}
 	while(SLAVESTATUS==1){
-		tell_the_server("rendering this friggn frame");
-		delay(1000); // or not
+		tell_the_server("Rendering");
+		fprintf(stderr, "Rendering frame %d in job %d...",framenum,jobnum);
+		delay(1000); // or not... this should be more event-driven, but should still give a heartbeat to the server
 	}
 
   return 0;