diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/main.c b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
index 8ec79a2..0f558b1 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
@@ -32,14 +32,6 @@
     return syscall(SYS_LOAD_INITRD, id, 0, 0, 0);
 }
 
-uint32_t logService, logFunction;
-
-void log(char *message) {
-    uintptr_t id = insertString(message);
-    request(logService, logFunction, id, 0);
-    discardString(id);
-}
-
 void requestName(char *service, char *provider, uintptr_t data1,
                  uintptr_t data2) {
     uint32_t serviceId = getService(service);

diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/main.c b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
index 8ec79a2..0f558b1 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
@@ -32,14 +32,6 @@
     return syscall(SYS_LOAD_INITRD, id, 0, 0, 0);
 }
 
-uint32_t logService, logFunction;
-
-void log(char *message) {
-    uintptr_t id = insertString(message);
-    request(logService, logFunction, id, 0);
-    discardString(id);
-}
-
 void requestName(char *service, char *provider, uintptr_t data1,
                  uintptr_t data2) {
     uint32_t serviceId = getService(service);
diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
index 196bbe4..7ca1032 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@
         putInt(write, x);
     }
 }
+uint32_t ioManager, logFunction, keyCallback;
 
 void _printf(void *(malloc)(uint32_t), const char *format, ...) {
     uintptr_t size = 0;
@@ -145,6 +146,9 @@
         write++;
     }
     va_end(valist);
-    log(data);
+
+    uintptr_t id = insertString(data);
+    request(ioManager, logFunction, id, 0);
+    discardString(id);
     free(data);
 }

diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/main.c b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
index 8ec79a2..0f558b1 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
@@ -32,14 +32,6 @@
     return syscall(SYS_LOAD_INITRD, id, 0, 0, 0);
 }
 
-uint32_t logService, logFunction;
-
-void log(char *message) {
-    uintptr_t id = insertString(message);
-    request(logService, logFunction, id, 0);
-    discardString(id);
-}
-
 void requestName(char *service, char *provider, uintptr_t data1,
                  uintptr_t data2) {
     uint32_t serviceId = getService(service);
diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
index 196bbe4..7ca1032 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@
         putInt(write, x);
     }
 }
+uint32_t ioManager, logFunction, keyCallback;
 
 void _printf(void *(malloc)(uint32_t), const char *format, ...) {
     uintptr_t size = 0;
@@ -145,6 +146,9 @@
         write++;
     }
     va_end(valist);
-    log(data);
+
+    uintptr_t id = insertString(data);
+    request(ioManager, logFunction, id, 0);
+    discardString(id);
     free(data);
 }
diff --git a/src/userland/ioManager/main.c b/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
index f1c0a9a..0a13b8e 100644
--- a/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 uint32_t mainService, mainOut, globalService, globalOut;
 
-uint32_t focusService;
+uint32_t focusService, focusServiceKeyHandler;
 uint32_t currentKeyConsumerService, currentKeyConsumerFunction;
 
 void writeString(char *string) {
@@ -22,14 +22,16 @@
     while (lock) {
         syscall(-1, 0, 0, 0, 0);
     }
-    lock = true;
     if (callerId == focusService) {
+        lock = true;
         readString(stringId, buffer);
         for (uint32_t i = 0; buffer[i]; i++) {
             request(mainService, mainOut, buffer[i], 0);
         }
+        lock = false;
         return;
     }
+    lock = true;
     writeString("[ ");
     readString(caller, buffer);
     writeString(buffer);
@@ -45,17 +47,26 @@
     lock = false;
 }
 
-extern uint32_t logService, logFunction;
+extern uint32_t ioManager, logFunction, keyCallback;
 
-void setForeground(uint32_t service) { focusService = service; }
+void setForeground(uint32_t service) {
+    focusService = service;
+    focusServiceKeyHandler = 0;
+}
+
+void handleKey(uint32_t keycode, uint32_t stringId) {
+    focusServiceKeyHandler = getFunction(focusService, "onKey");
+    request(focusService, focusServiceKeyHandler, keycode, stringId);
+}
 
 int32_t main() {
-    logService = getServiceId();
+    ioManager = getServiceId();
     logFunction = createFunction("", (void *)handleLog);
+    keyCallback = createFunction("", (void *)handleKey);
     mainService = loadFromInitrd("vga");
     mainOut = getFunction(mainService, "writeChar");
     globalService = loadFromInitrd("parallel");
-    globalOut = getFunction(mainService, "writeChar");
+    globalOut = getFunction(globalService, "writeChar");
     loadFromInitrd("log");
     loadFromInitrd("pic");
     loadFromInitrd("keyboard");

diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/main.c b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
index 8ec79a2..0f558b1 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
@@ -32,14 +32,6 @@
     return syscall(SYS_LOAD_INITRD, id, 0, 0, 0);
 }
 
-uint32_t logService, logFunction;
-
-void log(char *message) {
-    uintptr_t id = insertString(message);
-    request(logService, logFunction, id, 0);
-    discardString(id);
-}
-
 void requestName(char *service, char *provider, uintptr_t data1,
                  uintptr_t data2) {
     uint32_t serviceId = getService(service);
diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
index 196bbe4..7ca1032 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@
         putInt(write, x);
     }
 }
+uint32_t ioManager, logFunction, keyCallback;
 
 void _printf(void *(malloc)(uint32_t), const char *format, ...) {
     uintptr_t size = 0;
@@ -145,6 +146,9 @@
         write++;
     }
     va_end(valist);
-    log(data);
+
+    uintptr_t id = insertString(data);
+    request(ioManager, logFunction, id, 0);
+    discardString(id);
     free(data);
 }
diff --git a/src/userland/ioManager/main.c b/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
index f1c0a9a..0a13b8e 100644
--- a/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 uint32_t mainService, mainOut, globalService, globalOut;
 
-uint32_t focusService;
+uint32_t focusService, focusServiceKeyHandler;
 uint32_t currentKeyConsumerService, currentKeyConsumerFunction;
 
 void writeString(char *string) {
@@ -22,14 +22,16 @@
     while (lock) {
         syscall(-1, 0, 0, 0, 0);
     }
-    lock = true;
     if (callerId == focusService) {
+        lock = true;
         readString(stringId, buffer);
         for (uint32_t i = 0; buffer[i]; i++) {
             request(mainService, mainOut, buffer[i], 0);
         }
+        lock = false;
         return;
     }
+    lock = true;
     writeString("[ ");
     readString(caller, buffer);
     writeString(buffer);
@@ -45,17 +47,26 @@
     lock = false;
 }
 
-extern uint32_t logService, logFunction;
+extern uint32_t ioManager, logFunction, keyCallback;
 
-void setForeground(uint32_t service) { focusService = service; }
+void setForeground(uint32_t service) {
+    focusService = service;
+    focusServiceKeyHandler = 0;
+}
+
+void handleKey(uint32_t keycode, uint32_t stringId) {
+    focusServiceKeyHandler = getFunction(focusService, "onKey");
+    request(focusService, focusServiceKeyHandler, keycode, stringId);
+}
 
 int32_t main() {
-    logService = getServiceId();
+    ioManager = getServiceId();
     logFunction = createFunction("", (void *)handleLog);
+    keyCallback = createFunction("", (void *)handleKey);
     mainService = loadFromInitrd("vga");
     mainOut = getFunction(mainService, "writeChar");
     globalService = loadFromInitrd("parallel");
-    globalOut = getFunction(mainService, "writeChar");
+    globalOut = getFunction(globalService, "writeChar");
     loadFromInitrd("log");
     loadFromInitrd("pic");
     loadFromInitrd("keyboard");
diff --git a/src/userland/keyboard/main.c b/src/userland/keyboard/main.c
index 8d1cc9e..791330b 100644
--- a/src/userland/keyboard/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/keyboard/main.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #define ALLOC_MAIN
+
 #include <hlib.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
@@ -53,6 +54,8 @@
     return scancode;
 }
 
+extern uint32_t ioManager, keyCallback;
+
 void onKey() {
     uint8_t scancode = getScancode();
     if (scancode == 0xE0) {
@@ -60,7 +63,7 @@
         if (scancode & 0x80) {
             return;
         }
-        printf("key press %s detected\n", altKeycodes[scancode]);
+        request(ioManager, keyCallback, 0, U32(altKeycodes[scancode]));
         return;
     }
     if (scancode & 0x80) {
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@
     } else {
         data = keycodes[scancode];
     }
-    printf("key press %c detected\n", data);
+    request(ioManager, keyCallback, data, 0);
 }
 
 int32_t main() {

diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/main.c b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
index 8ec79a2..0f558b1 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
@@ -32,14 +32,6 @@
     return syscall(SYS_LOAD_INITRD, id, 0, 0, 0);
 }
 
-uint32_t logService, logFunction;
-
-void log(char *message) {
-    uintptr_t id = insertString(message);
-    request(logService, logFunction, id, 0);
-    discardString(id);
-}
-
 void requestName(char *service, char *provider, uintptr_t data1,
                  uintptr_t data2) {
     uint32_t serviceId = getService(service);
diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
index 196bbe4..7ca1032 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@
         putInt(write, x);
     }
 }
+uint32_t ioManager, logFunction, keyCallback;
 
 void _printf(void *(malloc)(uint32_t), const char *format, ...) {
     uintptr_t size = 0;
@@ -145,6 +146,9 @@
         write++;
     }
     va_end(valist);
-    log(data);
+
+    uintptr_t id = insertString(data);
+    request(ioManager, logFunction, id, 0);
+    discardString(id);
     free(data);
 }
diff --git a/src/userland/ioManager/main.c b/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
index f1c0a9a..0a13b8e 100644
--- a/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 uint32_t mainService, mainOut, globalService, globalOut;
 
-uint32_t focusService;
+uint32_t focusService, focusServiceKeyHandler;
 uint32_t currentKeyConsumerService, currentKeyConsumerFunction;
 
 void writeString(char *string) {
@@ -22,14 +22,16 @@
     while (lock) {
         syscall(-1, 0, 0, 0, 0);
     }
-    lock = true;
     if (callerId == focusService) {
+        lock = true;
         readString(stringId, buffer);
         for (uint32_t i = 0; buffer[i]; i++) {
             request(mainService, mainOut, buffer[i], 0);
         }
+        lock = false;
         return;
     }
+    lock = true;
     writeString("[ ");
     readString(caller, buffer);
     writeString(buffer);
@@ -45,17 +47,26 @@
     lock = false;
 }
 
-extern uint32_t logService, logFunction;
+extern uint32_t ioManager, logFunction, keyCallback;
 
-void setForeground(uint32_t service) { focusService = service; }
+void setForeground(uint32_t service) {
+    focusService = service;
+    focusServiceKeyHandler = 0;
+}
+
+void handleKey(uint32_t keycode, uint32_t stringId) {
+    focusServiceKeyHandler = getFunction(focusService, "onKey");
+    request(focusService, focusServiceKeyHandler, keycode, stringId);
+}
 
 int32_t main() {
-    logService = getServiceId();
+    ioManager = getServiceId();
     logFunction = createFunction("", (void *)handleLog);
+    keyCallback = createFunction("", (void *)handleKey);
     mainService = loadFromInitrd("vga");
     mainOut = getFunction(mainService, "writeChar");
     globalService = loadFromInitrd("parallel");
-    globalOut = getFunction(mainService, "writeChar");
+    globalOut = getFunction(globalService, "writeChar");
     loadFromInitrd("log");
     loadFromInitrd("pic");
     loadFromInitrd("keyboard");
diff --git a/src/userland/keyboard/main.c b/src/userland/keyboard/main.c
index 8d1cc9e..791330b 100644
--- a/src/userland/keyboard/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/keyboard/main.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #define ALLOC_MAIN
+
 #include <hlib.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
@@ -53,6 +54,8 @@
     return scancode;
 }
 
+extern uint32_t ioManager, keyCallback;
+
 void onKey() {
     uint8_t scancode = getScancode();
     if (scancode == 0xE0) {
@@ -60,7 +63,7 @@
         if (scancode & 0x80) {
             return;
         }
-        printf("key press %s detected\n", altKeycodes[scancode]);
+        request(ioManager, keyCallback, 0, U32(altKeycodes[scancode]));
         return;
     }
     if (scancode & 0x80) {
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@
     } else {
         data = keycodes[scancode];
     }
-    printf("key press %c detected\n", data);
+    request(ioManager, keyCallback, data, 0);
 }
 
 int32_t main() {
diff --git a/src/userland/loader/main.c b/src/userland/loader/main.c
index aead40a..7763f2b 100644
--- a/src/userland/loader/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/loader/main.c
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@
     loadFromInitrd("ioManager");
     printf("HONEY-OS - made by Lukas Eisenhauer\n");
     printf("finished loading all the essential modules\n");
-    loadFromInitrd("crashTest");
     uint32_t id = loadFromInitrdUninitialized("shell");
     requestName("ioManager", "setForeground", id, 0);
-    requestName("shell", "main", 0, 0);
+    request(id, 0, 0, 0);
 }

diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/main.c b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
index 8ec79a2..0f558b1 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/main.c
@@ -32,14 +32,6 @@
     return syscall(SYS_LOAD_INITRD, id, 0, 0, 0);
 }
 
-uint32_t logService, logFunction;
-
-void log(char *message) {
-    uintptr_t id = insertString(message);
-    request(logService, logFunction, id, 0);
-    discardString(id);
-}
-
 void requestName(char *service, char *provider, uintptr_t data1,
                  uintptr_t data2) {
     uint32_t serviceId = getService(service);
diff --git a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
index 196bbe4..7ca1032 100644
--- a/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
+++ b/src/userland/hlib/stdio.c
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@
         putInt(write, x);
     }
 }
+uint32_t ioManager, logFunction, keyCallback;
 
 void _printf(void *(malloc)(uint32_t), const char *format, ...) {
     uintptr_t size = 0;
@@ -145,6 +146,9 @@
         write++;
     }
     va_end(valist);
-    log(data);
+
+    uintptr_t id = insertString(data);
+    request(ioManager, logFunction, id, 0);
+    discardString(id);
     free(data);
 }
diff --git a/src/userland/ioManager/main.c b/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
index f1c0a9a..0a13b8e 100644
--- a/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/ioManager/main.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 uint32_t mainService, mainOut, globalService, globalOut;
 
-uint32_t focusService;
+uint32_t focusService, focusServiceKeyHandler;
 uint32_t currentKeyConsumerService, currentKeyConsumerFunction;
 
 void writeString(char *string) {
@@ -22,14 +22,16 @@
     while (lock) {
         syscall(-1, 0, 0, 0, 0);
     }
-    lock = true;
     if (callerId == focusService) {
+        lock = true;
         readString(stringId, buffer);
         for (uint32_t i = 0; buffer[i]; i++) {
             request(mainService, mainOut, buffer[i], 0);
         }
+        lock = false;
         return;
     }
+    lock = true;
     writeString("[ ");
     readString(caller, buffer);
     writeString(buffer);
@@ -45,17 +47,26 @@
     lock = false;
 }
 
-extern uint32_t logService, logFunction;
+extern uint32_t ioManager, logFunction, keyCallback;
 
-void setForeground(uint32_t service) { focusService = service; }
+void setForeground(uint32_t service) {
+    focusService = service;
+    focusServiceKeyHandler = 0;
+}
+
+void handleKey(uint32_t keycode, uint32_t stringId) {
+    focusServiceKeyHandler = getFunction(focusService, "onKey");
+    request(focusService, focusServiceKeyHandler, keycode, stringId);
+}
 
 int32_t main() {
-    logService = getServiceId();
+    ioManager = getServiceId();
     logFunction = createFunction("", (void *)handleLog);
+    keyCallback = createFunction("", (void *)handleKey);
     mainService = loadFromInitrd("vga");
     mainOut = getFunction(mainService, "writeChar");
     globalService = loadFromInitrd("parallel");
-    globalOut = getFunction(mainService, "writeChar");
+    globalOut = getFunction(globalService, "writeChar");
     loadFromInitrd("log");
     loadFromInitrd("pic");
     loadFromInitrd("keyboard");
diff --git a/src/userland/keyboard/main.c b/src/userland/keyboard/main.c
index 8d1cc9e..791330b 100644
--- a/src/userland/keyboard/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/keyboard/main.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #define ALLOC_MAIN
+
 #include <hlib.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
@@ -53,6 +54,8 @@
     return scancode;
 }
 
+extern uint32_t ioManager, keyCallback;
+
 void onKey() {
     uint8_t scancode = getScancode();
     if (scancode == 0xE0) {
@@ -60,7 +63,7 @@
         if (scancode & 0x80) {
             return;
         }
-        printf("key press %s detected\n", altKeycodes[scancode]);
+        request(ioManager, keyCallback, 0, U32(altKeycodes[scancode]));
         return;
     }
     if (scancode & 0x80) {
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@
     } else {
         data = keycodes[scancode];
     }
-    printf("key press %c detected\n", data);
+    request(ioManager, keyCallback, data, 0);
 }
 
 int32_t main() {
diff --git a/src/userland/loader/main.c b/src/userland/loader/main.c
index aead40a..7763f2b 100644
--- a/src/userland/loader/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/loader/main.c
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@
     loadFromInitrd("ioManager");
     printf("HONEY-OS - made by Lukas Eisenhauer\n");
     printf("finished loading all the essential modules\n");
-    loadFromInitrd("crashTest");
     uint32_t id = loadFromInitrdUninitialized("shell");
     requestName("ioManager", "setForeground", id, 0);
-    requestName("shell", "main", 0, 0);
+    request(id, 0, 0, 0);
 }
diff --git a/src/userland/shell/main.c b/src/userland/shell/main.c
index 69df12e..71c2e63 100644
--- a/src/userland/shell/main.c
+++ b/src/userland/shell/main.c
@@ -3,4 +3,12 @@
 #include <hlib.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-int32_t main() { printf("HONEY-OS - made by Lukas Eisenhauer\n"); }
+char inputBuffer[256];
+uint8_t inputBufferPosition;
+
+void onKeyInput(uint32_t keycode, uint32_t stringId) { printf("%c", keycode); }
+
+int32_t main() {
+    createFunction("onKey", (void *)onKeyInput);
+    printf("HONEY-OS - made by Lukas Eisenhauer\n> ");
+}