diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 61bd4870..2e049b14 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1432,8 +1432,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "clojure-reader",
  "itertools 0.14.0",
  "konst",
- "tek_input",
- "tek_output",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1443,6 +1441,9 @@ version = "0.2.0"
 [[package]]
 name = "tek_output"
 version = "0.2.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "tek_edn",
+]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "tek_tui"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 8c4105f3..ff199121 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -27,10 +27,7 @@ wavers = "1.4.3"
 #winit = { version = "0.30.4", features = [ "x11" ] }
 
 [features]
-default    = ["tek_input", "tek_output", "tek_edn"]
-tek_input  = [ "tek_tui/tek_input" ]
-tek_output = [ "tek_tui/tek_output" ]
-tek_edn    = [ "tek_tui/tek_edn" ]
+default = []
 
 [[bin]]
 name = "tek_arranger"
diff --git a/bin/lib.rs b/bin/lib.rs
index 9c9feb24..9d4f22c7 100644
--- a/bin/lib.rs
+++ b/bin/lib.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     jack::*,
     tek_input::*,
     tek_output::*,
-    tek_tui::{Tui, TuiRun, ItemPalette, ItemColor, ratatui::prelude::Color}
+    tek_tui::{*, ratatui::prelude::Color}
 };
 
 #[allow(unused)]
diff --git a/edn/Cargo.toml b/edn/Cargo.toml
index 0d6a3406..9a2fa766 100644
--- a/edn/Cargo.toml
+++ b/edn/Cargo.toml
@@ -8,11 +8,8 @@ clojure-reader = "0.3.0"
 konst = "0.3.16"
 itertools = "0.14.0"
 
-tek_input  = { optional = true, path = "../input" }
-tek_output = { optional = true, path = "../output" }
-
 [features]
-default = ["tek_input", "tek_output"]
+default = []
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 tek_tui = { path = "../tui" }
diff --git a/edn/src/lib.rs b/edn/src/lib.rs
index 6d6b9a35..fa7c5bc4 100644
--- a/edn/src/lib.rs
+++ b/edn/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,16 +1,12 @@
 #![feature(type_alias_impl_trait)]
 #![feature(impl_trait_in_fn_trait_return)]
 
-pub(crate) use std::{
-    fmt::{Debug, Formatter, Error as FormatError}
-};
-pub use ::tek_output;
+pub(crate) use std::{fmt::{Debug, Formatter, Error as FormatError}};
 
 mod edn_error; pub use self::edn_error::*;
 mod edn_item;  pub use self::edn_item::*;
 mod edn_iter;  pub use self::edn_iter::*;
 mod edn_token; pub use self::edn_token::*;
-mod edn_view;  pub use self::edn_view::*;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "tek_output")]
 pub(crate) use ::tek_output::*;
diff --git a/input/README.md b/input/README.md
index 03d7e53d..6187e5ab 100644
--- a/input/README.md
+++ b/input/README.md
@@ -1,56 +1,7 @@
 # `tek_engine`
 
-this crate provides the `Engine` trait,
-which defines an application's lifecycle.
-
-currently, there is one kind of engine implemented, `Tui`.
-it uses `ratatui` to present an interactive user interface
-in text mode.
-
-at launch, the `Tui` engine spawns two threads,
-a **render thread** and an **input thread**. (the
-application may spawn further threads, such as a
-**jack thread**.)
-
-all threads communicate using shared ownership,
-`Arc<RwLock>` and `Arc<Atomic>`. the engine and
-application instances are expected to be wrapped
-in `Arc<RwLock>`; internally, those synchronization
-mechanisms may be used liberally.
-
 ## rendering
 
-the **render thread** continually invokes the
-`Content::render` method of the application
-to redraw the display. it does this efficiently
-by using ratatui's double buffering.
-
-thus, for a type to be a valid application for engine `E`,
-it must implement the trait `Content<E>`, which allows
-it to display content to the engine's output.
-
-the most important thing about the `Content` trait is that
-it composes:
-* you can implement `Content::content` to build
-  `Content`s out of other `Content`s
-* and/or `Content::area` for custom positioning and sizing,
-* and/or `Content::render` for custom rendering
-  within the given `Content`'s area.
-
-the manner of output is determined by the
-`Engine::Output` type, a mutable pointer to which
-is passed to the render method, e.g. in the case of
-the `Tui` engine: `fn render(&self, output: &mut TuiOut)`
-
-you can use `TuiOut::blit` and `TuiOut::place`
-to draw at specified coordinates of the display, and/or
-directly modify the underlying `ratatui::Buffer` at
-`output.buffer`
-
-rendering is intended to work with read-only access
-to the application state. if you really need to update
-values during rendering, use interior mutability.
-
 ## input handling
 
 the **input thread** polls for keyboard events
diff --git a/output/Cargo.toml b/output/Cargo.toml
index 1e60cfa8..69b39203 100644
--- a/output/Cargo.toml
+++ b/output/Cargo.toml
@@ -5,4 +5,6 @@ version = "0.2.0"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 tek_tui = { path = "../tui" }
-tek_engine = { path = "../engine" }
+
+[dependencies]
+tek_edn = { path = "../edn" }
diff --git a/output/README.md b/output/README.md
index c6dde42c..4f575b64 100644
--- a/output/README.md
+++ b/output/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-# `tek_layout`
+# `tek_output`
+
+## free floating layout primitives
 
 this crate exposes several layout operators
 which work entirely in unsigned coordinates
@@ -39,3 +41,36 @@ are not dependent on rendering framework.
 **todo:**
 * sensible `Margin`/`Padding`
 * `Reduce`
+
+## example rendering loop
+
+the **render thread** continually invokes the
+`Content::render` method of the application
+to redraw the display. it does this efficiently
+by using ratatui's double buffering.
+
+thus, for a type to be a valid application for engine `E`,
+it must implement the trait `Content<E>`, which allows
+it to display content to the engine's output.
+
+the most important thing about the `Content` trait is that
+it composes:
+* you can implement `Content::content` to build
+  `Content`s out of other `Content`s
+* and/or `Content::area` for custom positioning and sizing,
+* and/or `Content::render` for custom rendering
+  within the given `Content`'s area.
+
+the manner of output is determined by the
+`Engine::Output` type, a mutable pointer to which
+is passed to the render method, e.g. in the case of
+the `Tui` engine: `fn render(&self, output: &mut TuiOut)`
+
+you can use `TuiOut::blit` and `TuiOut::place`
+to draw at specified coordinates of the display, and/or
+directly modify the underlying `ratatui::Buffer` at
+`output.buffer`
+
+rendering is intended to work with read-only access
+to the application state. if you really need to update
+values during rendering, use interior mutability.
diff --git a/edn/src/edn_view.rs b/output/src/edn_view.rs
similarity index 99%
rename from edn/src/edn_view.rs
rename to output/src/edn_view.rs
index 3fe6306b..cb5aff5e 100644
--- a/edn/src/edn_view.rs
+++ b/output/src/edn_view.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use crate::*;
 use std::marker::PhantomData;
-use ::tek_output::*;
 use EdnItem::*;
 
 pub type EdnCallback<'a, Output, State> =
@@ -99,3 +98,4 @@ impl<E: Output, T: EdnViewData<E> + Send + Sync> Content<E> for EdnView<E, T> {
         
     }
 }
+
diff --git a/output/src/lib.rs b/output/src/lib.rs
index ed6b7e7b..7c4cfbfa 100644
--- a/output/src/lib.rs
+++ b/output/src/lib.rs
@@ -21,24 +21,18 @@ mod measure;            pub use self::measure::*;
 mod transform_xy;       pub use self::transform_xy::*;
 mod transform_xy_unit;  pub use self::transform_xy_unit::*;
 
+mod edn_view;
+pub use self::edn_view::*;
+pub(crate) use ::tek_edn::*;
+
 pub(crate) use std::marker::PhantomData;
 pub(crate) use std::error::Error;
 
 /// Standard result type.
-pub type Usually<T> = Result<T, Box<dyn Error>>;
+pub(crate) type Usually<T> = Result<T, Box<dyn Error>>;
 
 /// Standard optional result type.
-pub type Perhaps<T> = Result<Option<T>, Box<dyn Error>>;
-
-/// Prototypal case of implementor macro.
-/// Saves 4loc per data pats.
-#[macro_export] macro_rules! from {
-    ($(<$($lt:lifetime),+>)?|$state:ident:$Source:ty|$Target:ty=$cb:expr) => {
-        impl $(<$($lt),+>)? From<$Source> for $Target {
-            fn from ($state:$Source) -> Self { $cb }
-        }
-    };
-}
+pub(crate) type Perhaps<T> = Result<Option<T>, Box<dyn Error>>;
 
 #[cfg(test)] #[test] fn test_layout () -> Usually<()> {
     use ::tek_tui::Tui;
diff --git a/tui/Cargo.toml b/tui/Cargo.toml
index 71ed2a92..9bd4ba93 100644
--- a/tui/Cargo.toml
+++ b/tui/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@ crossterm = "0.28.1"
 ratatui = { version = "0.29.0", features = [ "unstable-widget-ref", "underline-color" ] }
 better-panic = "0.3.0"
 
-tek_edn    = { optional = true, path = "../edn" }
-tek_input  = { optional = true, path = "../input" }
-tek_output = { optional = true, path = "../output" }
-
-[features]
-default = ["tek_input", "tek_output", "tek_edn"]
+tek_edn    = { path = "../edn" }
+tek_input  = { path = "../input" }
+tek_output = { path = "../output" }
diff --git a/tui/README.md b/tui/README.md
index 9c499171..36606d52 100644
--- a/tui/README.md
+++ b/tui/README.md
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
 # `tek_tui`
 
-tui utilities.
+the `Tui` struct (the *engine*) implements the
+`tek_input::Input` and `tek_output::Output` traits.
+
+at launch, the `Tui` engine spawns two threads,
+a **render thread** and an **input thread**. (the
+application may spawn further threads, such as a
+**jack thread**.)
+
+all threads communicate using shared ownership,
+`Arc<RwLock>` and `Arc<Atomic>`. the engine and
+application instances are expected to be wrapped
+in `Arc<RwLock>`; internally, those synchronization
+mechanisms may be used liberally.
diff --git a/tui/src/lib.rs b/tui/src/lib.rs
index 6d350d4f..f21ec9a2 100644
--- a/tui/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tui/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 pub use ::tek_input;
-pub use ::tek_output;
-pub use ::tek_edn;
 pub(crate) use tek_input::*;
+
+pub use ::tek_output;
 pub(crate) use tek_output::*;
 
+pub use ::tek_edn;
+pub(crate) use ::tek_edn::*;
+
 mod tui_engine;  pub use self::tui_engine::*;
 mod tui_content; pub use self::tui_content::*;
 mod tui_input;   pub use self::tui_input::*;
@@ -17,6 +20,23 @@ mod tui_border; pub use self::tui_border::*;
 
 pub(crate) use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock, atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering::*}};
 pub(crate) use std::io::{stdout, Stdout};
+pub(crate) use std::error::Error;
+
+/// Standard result type.
+pub type Usually<T> = Result<T, Box<dyn Error>>;
+
+/// Standard optional result type.
+pub type Perhaps<T> = Result<Option<T>, Box<dyn Error>>;
+
+/// Prototypal case of implementor macro.
+/// Saves 4loc per data pats.
+#[macro_export] macro_rules! from {
+    ($(<$($lt:lifetime),+>)?|$state:ident:$Source:ty|$Target:ty=$cb:expr) => {
+        impl $(<$($lt),+>)? From<$Source> for $Target {
+            fn from ($state:$Source) -> Self { $cb }
+        }
+    };
+}
 
 pub use ::better_panic; pub(crate) use better_panic::{Settings, Verbosity};
 pub use ::palette; pub(crate) use ::palette::{*, convert::*, okhsl::*};