diff --git a/src/lib/client.rs b/src/lib/client.rs
index 6b9d179..d92e6b5 100644
--- a/src/lib/client.rs
+++ b/src/lib/client.rs
@@ -1,194 +1,80 @@
-/// TODO better name for this file
+use std::{future::Future, sync::Arc, pin::Pin};
 
-use std::{sync::{Arc, RwLock}, collections::BTreeMap};
-use tracing::{error, warn, info};
-use uuid::Uuid;
+use operational_transform::OperationSeq;
+use tokio::sync::mpsc;
+use tonic::{transport::{Channel, Error}, Status};
+use tracing::error;
 
-use crate::{
-	opfactory::AsyncFactory,
-	proto::{buffer_client::BufferClient, BufferPayload, OperationRequest, RawOp, CursorMov},
-	tonic::{transport::Channel, Status, Streaming},
-};
+use crate::{proto::{buffer_client::BufferClient, BufferPayload, OperationRequest, RawOp, CursorMov}, opfactory::AsyncFactory};
 
-pub type FactoryStore = Arc<RwLock<BTreeMap<String, Arc<AsyncFactory>>>>;
-
-impl From::<BufferClient<Channel>> for CodempClient {
-	fn from(x: BufferClient<Channel>) -> CodempClient {
-		CodempClient {
-			id: Uuid::new_v4(),
-			client:x,
-			factories: Arc::new(RwLock::new(BTreeMap::new())),
-		}
-	}
+pub trait EditorDriver : Clone {
+	fn id(&self) -> String;
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
-pub struct CodempClient {
-	id: Uuid,
+pub struct CodempClient<T : EditorDriver> {
 	client: BufferClient<Channel>,
-	factories: FactoryStore,
+	driver: T,
 }
 
-impl CodempClient {
-	fn get_factory(&self, path: &String) -> Result<Arc<AsyncFactory>, Status> {
-		match self.factories.read().unwrap().get(path) {
-			Some(f) => Ok(f.clone()),
-			None => Err(Status::not_found("no active buffer for given path")),
-		}
+impl<T : EditorDriver> CodempClient<T> { // TODO wrap tonic 'connect' to allow multiple types
+	pub async fn new(addr: &str, driver: T) -> Result<Self, Error> {
+		let client = BufferClient::connect(addr.to_string()).await?;
+
+		Ok(CodempClient { client, driver })
 	}
 
-	pub fn add_factory(&self, path: String, factory:Arc<AsyncFactory>) {
-		self.factories.write().unwrap().insert(path, factory);
-	}
-
-	pub async fn create(&mut self, path: String, content: Option<String>) -> Result<bool, Status> {
+	pub async fn create_buffer(&mut self, path: String, content: Option<String>) -> Result<bool, Status> {
 		let req = BufferPayload {
-			path: path.clone(),
-			content: content.clone(),
-			user: self.id.to_string(),
+			path, content,
+			user: self.driver.id(),
 		};
 
-		let res = self.client.create(req).await?.into_inner();
+		let res = self.client.create(req).await?;
 
-		Ok(res.accepted)
+		Ok(res.into_inner().accepted)
 	}
 
-	pub async fn insert(&mut self, path: String, txt: String, pos: u64) -> Result<bool, Status> {
-		let factory = self.get_factory(&path)?;
-		match factory.insert(txt, pos).await {
-			Err(e) => Err(Status::internal(format!("invalid operation: {}", e))),
-			Ok(op) => {
-				let req = OperationRequest {
-					path,
-					hash: "".into(),
-					user: self.id.to_string(),
-					opseq: serde_json::to_string(&op)
-						.map_err(|_| Status::invalid_argument("could not serialize opseq"))?,
-				};
-				let res = self.client.edit(req).await?.into_inner();
-				if let Err(e) = factory.ack(op.clone()).await {
-					error!("could not ack op '{:?}' : {}", op, e);
-				}
-				Ok(res.accepted)
-			},
-		}
-	}
-
-	pub async fn delete(&mut self, path: String, pos: u64, count: u64) -> Result<bool, Status> {
-		let factory = self.get_factory(&path)?;
-		match factory.delete(pos, count).await {
-			Err(e) => Err(Status::internal(format!("invalid operation: {}", e))),
-			Ok(op) => {
-				let req = OperationRequest {
-					path,
-					hash: "".into(),
-					user: self.id.to_string(),
-					opseq: serde_json::to_string(&op)
-						.map_err(|_| Status::invalid_argument("could not serialize opseq"))?,
-				};
-				let res = self.client.edit(req).await?.into_inner();
-				if let Err(e) = factory.ack(op.clone()).await {
-					error!("could not ack op '{:?}' : {}", op, e);
-				}
-				Ok(res.accepted)
-			},
-		}
-	}
-
-	pub async fn replace(&mut self, path: String, txt: String) -> Result<bool, Status> {
-		let factory = self.get_factory(&path)?;
-		match factory.replace(txt).await {
-			Err(e) => Err(Status::internal(format!("invalid operation: {}", e))),
-			Ok(op) => {
-				let req = OperationRequest {
-					path,
-					hash: "".into(),
-					user: self.id.to_string(),
-					opseq: serde_json::to_string(&op)
-						.map_err(|_| Status::invalid_argument("could not serialize opseq"))?,
-				};
-				let res = self.client.edit(req).await?.into_inner();
-				if let Err(e) = factory.ack(op.clone()).await {
-					error!("could not ack op '{:?}' : {}", op, e);
-				}
-				Ok(res.accepted)
-			},
-		}
-	}
-
-	pub async fn cursor(&mut self, path: String, row: i64, col: i64) -> Result<(), Status> {
-		let req = CursorMov {
-			path, user: self.id.to_string(),
-			row, col,
-		};
-		let _res = self.client.cursor(req).await?.into_inner();
-		Ok(())
-	}
-
-	pub async fn listen<F>(&mut self, path: String, callback: F) -> Result<(), Status>
-	where F : Fn(CursorMov) -> () + Send + 'static {
+	pub async fn attach_buffer(&mut self, path: String) -> Result<mpsc::Sender<OperationSeq>, Status> {
 		let req = BufferPayload {
-			path,
-			content: None,
-			user: self.id.to_string(),
+			path, content: None,
+			user: self.driver.id(),
 		};
-		let mut stream = self.client.listen(req).await?.into_inner();
+
+		let content = self.client.sync(req.clone())
+			.await?
+			.into_inner()
+			.content;
+
+		let mut stream = self.client.attach(req).await?.into_inner();
+
+		let factory = Arc::new(AsyncFactory::new(content));
+
+		let (tx, mut rx) = mpsc::channel(64);
+
 		tokio::spawn(async move {
-			// TODO catch some errors
-			while let Ok(Some(x)) = stream.message().await {
-				callback(x)
+			loop {
+				match stream.message().await {
+					Err(e)      => break error!("error receiving update: {}", e),
+					Ok(None)    => break,
+					Ok(Some(x)) => match serde_json::from_str::<OperationSeq>(&x.opseq) {
+						Err(e) => break error!("error deserializing opseq: {}", e),
+						Ok(v) => match factory.process(v).await {
+							Err(e) => break error!("could not apply operation from server: {}", e),
+							Ok(txt) => { // send back txt
+							}
+						}
+					},
+				}
 			}
 		});
-		Ok(())
-	}
 
-	pub async fn attach<F>(&mut self, path: String, callback: F) -> Result<String, Status>
-	where F : Fn(String) -> () + Send + 'static {
-		let content = self.sync(path.clone()).await?;
-		let factory = Arc::new(AsyncFactory::new(Some(content.clone())));
-		self.add_factory(path.clone(), factory.clone());
-		let req = BufferPayload {
-			path,
-			content: None,
-			user: self.id.to_string(),
-		};
-		let stream = self.client.attach(req).await?.into_inner();
-		tokio::spawn(async move { Self::worker(stream, factory, callback).await } );
-		Ok(content)
-	}
+		tokio::spawn(async move {
+			while let Some(op) = rx.recv().await {
 
-	pub fn detach(&mut self, path: String) {
-		self.factories.write().unwrap().remove(&path);
-		info!("|| detached from buffer");
-	}
-
-	async fn sync(&mut self, path: String) -> Result<String, Status> {
-		let res = self.client.sync(
-			BufferPayload {
-				path, content: None, user: self.id.to_string(),
 			}
-		).await?;
-		Ok(res.into_inner().content.unwrap_or("".into()))
-	}
+		});
 
-	async fn worker<F>(mut stream: Streaming<RawOp>, factory: Arc<AsyncFactory>, callback: F)
-	where F : Fn(String) -> () {
-		info!("|> buffer worker started");
-		loop {
-			match stream.message().await {
-				Err(e) => break error!("error receiving change: {}", e),
-				Ok(v) => match v {
-					None => break warn!("stream closed"),
-					Some(operation) => match serde_json::from_str(&operation.opseq) {
-						Err(e) => break error!("could not deserialize opseq: {}", e),
-						Ok(op) => match factory.process(op).await {
-							Err(e) => break error!("desynched: {}", e),
-							Ok(x) => callback(x),
-						},
-					}
-				},
-			}
-		}
-		info!("[] buffer worker stopped");
+		Ok(tx)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/opfactory.rs b/src/lib/opfactory.rs
index 320bd84..f336df4 100644
--- a/src/lib/opfactory.rs
+++ b/src/lib/opfactory.rs
@@ -1,47 +1,24 @@
-use std::collections::VecDeque;
+use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use operational_transform::{OperationSeq, OTError};
 use similar::TextDiff;
 use tokio::sync::{mpsc, watch, oneshot};
 use tracing::{error, warn};
 
-#[derive(Clone)]
-pub struct OperationFactory {
-	content: String,
-	queue: VecDeque<OperationSeq>,
-}
+#[tonic::async_trait]
+pub trait OperationFactory {
+	fn content(&self) -> String;
+	async fn apply(&self, op: OperationSeq) -> Result<String, OTError>;
+	async fn process(&self, op: OperationSeq) -> Result<String, OTError>;
+	async fn acknowledge(&self, op: OperationSeq) -> Result<(), OTError>;
 
-impl OperationFactory {
-	pub fn new(init: Option<String>) -> Self {
-		OperationFactory {
-			content: init.unwrap_or(String::new()),
-			queue: VecDeque::new(),
-		}
-	}
-
-	fn apply(&mut self, op: OperationSeq) -> Result<OperationSeq, OTError> {
-		if op.is_noop() { return Err(OTError) }
-		self.content = op.apply(&self.content)?;
-		self.queue.push_back(op.clone());
-		Ok(op)
-	}
-
-	// TODO remove the need for this
-	pub fn content(&self) -> String {
-		self.content.clone()
-	}
-
-	pub fn check(&self, txt: &str) -> bool {
-		self.content == txt
-	}
-
-	pub fn replace(&mut self, txt: &str) -> Result<OperationSeq, OTError> {
+	fn replace(&self, txt: &str) -> OperationSeq {
 		let mut out = OperationSeq::default();
-		if self.content == txt { // TODO throw and error rather than wasting everyone's resources
-			return Err(OTError); // nothing to do
+		if self.content() == txt {
+			return out; // TODO this won't work, should we return a noop instead?
 		}
 
-		let diff = TextDiff::from_chars(self.content.as_str(), txt);
+		let diff = TextDiff::from_chars(self.content().as_str(), txt);
 
 		for change in diff.iter_all_changes() {
 			match change.tag() {
@@ -51,59 +28,37 @@ impl OperationFactory {
 			}
 		}
 
-		self.content = out.apply(&self.content)?;
-		Ok(out)
+		out
 	}
 
-	pub fn insert(&mut self, txt: &str, pos: u64) -> Result<OperationSeq, OTError> {
+	fn insert(&self, txt: &str, pos: u64) -> OperationSeq {
 		let mut out = OperationSeq::default();
-		let total = self.content.len() as u64;
+		let total = self.content().len() as u64;
 		out.retain(pos);
 		out.insert(txt);
 		out.retain(total - pos);
-		Ok(self.apply(out)?)
+		out
 	}
 
-	pub fn delete(&mut self, pos: u64, count: u64) -> Result<OperationSeq, OTError> {
+	fn delete(&self, pos: u64, count: u64) -> OperationSeq {
 		let mut out = OperationSeq::default();
-		let len = self.content.len() as u64;
+		let len = self.content().len() as u64;
 		out.retain(pos - count);
 		out.delete(count);
 		out.retain(len - pos);
-		Ok(self.apply(out)?)
+		out
 	}
 
-	pub fn cancel(&mut self, pos: u64, count: u64) -> Result<OperationSeq, OTError> {
+	fn cancel(&self, pos: u64, count: u64) -> OperationSeq {
 		let mut out = OperationSeq::default();
-		let len = self.content.len() as u64;
+		let len = self.content().len() as u64;
 		out.retain(pos);
 		out.delete(count);
 		out.retain(len - (pos+count));
-		Ok(self.apply(out)?)
-	}
-
-	pub fn ack(&mut self, op: OperationSeq) -> Result<(), OTError> { // TODO use a different error?
-		// TODO is manually iterating from behind worth the manual search boilerplate?
-		for (i, o) in self.queue.iter().enumerate().rev() {
-			if o == &op {
-				self.queue.remove(i);
-				return Ok(());
-			}
-		}
-		warn!("could not ack op {:?} from {:?}", op, self.queue);
-		Err(OTError)
-	}
-
-	pub fn process(&mut self, mut op: OperationSeq) -> Result<String, OTError> {
-		for o in self.queue.iter_mut() {
-			(op, *o) = op.transform(o)?;
-		}
-		self.content = op.apply(&self.content)?;
-		Ok(self.content.clone())
+		out
 	}
 }
 
-
 pub struct AsyncFactory {
 	run: watch::Sender<bool>,
 	ops: mpsc::Sender<OpMsg>,
@@ -117,6 +72,32 @@ impl Drop for AsyncFactory {
 	}
 }
 
+#[tonic::async_trait]
+impl OperationFactory for AsyncFactory {
+	fn content(&self) -> String {
+		return self.content.borrow().clone();
+	}
+
+	async fn apply(&self, op: OperationSeq) -> Result<String, OTError> {
+		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
+		self.ops.send(OpMsg::Apply(op, tx)).await.map_err(|_| OTError)?;
+		Ok(rx.await.map_err(|_| OTError)?)
+	}
+
+	async fn process(&self, op: OperationSeq) -> Result<String, OTError> {
+		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
+		self.ops.send(OpMsg::Process(op, tx)).await.map_err(|_| OTError)?;
+		Ok(rx.await.map_err(|_| OTError)?)
+	}
+
+	async fn acknowledge(&self, op: OperationSeq) -> Result<(), OTError> {
+		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
+		self.ops.send(OpMsg::Acknowledge(op, tx)).await.map_err(|_| OTError)?;
+		Ok(rx.await.map_err(|_| OTError)?)
+	}
+
+}
+
 impl AsyncFactory {
 	pub fn new(init: Option<String>) -> Self {
 		let (run_tx, run_rx) = watch::channel(true);
@@ -124,7 +105,7 @@ impl AsyncFactory {
 		let (txt_tx, txt_rx) = watch::channel("".into());
 
 		let worker = AsyncFactoryWorker {
-			factory: OperationFactory::new(init),
+			text: init.unwrap_or("".into()),
 			ops: ops_rx,
 			run: run_rx,
 			content: txt_tx,
@@ -134,62 +115,18 @@ impl AsyncFactory {
 
 		AsyncFactory { run: run_tx, ops: ops_tx, content: txt_rx }
 	}
-
-	pub async fn insert(&self, txt: String, pos: u64) -> Result<OperationSeq, OTError> {
-		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
-		self.ops.send(OpMsg::Exec(OpWrapper::Insert(txt, pos), tx)).await.map_err(|_| OTError)?;
-		rx.await.map_err(|_| OTError)?
-	}
-
-	pub async fn delete(&self, pos: u64, count: u64) -> Result<OperationSeq, OTError> {
-		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
-		self.ops.send(OpMsg::Exec(OpWrapper::Delete(pos, count), tx)).await.map_err(|_| OTError)?;
-		rx.await.map_err(|_| OTError)?
-	}
-
-	pub async fn cancel(&self, pos: u64, count: u64) -> Result<OperationSeq, OTError> {
-		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
-		self.ops.send(OpMsg::Exec(OpWrapper::Cancel(pos, count), tx)).await.map_err(|_| OTError)?;
-		rx.await.map_err(|_| OTError)?
-	}
-
-	pub async fn replace(&self, txt: String) -> Result<OperationSeq, OTError> {
-		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
-		self.ops.send(OpMsg::Exec(OpWrapper::Replace(txt), tx)).await.map_err(|_| OTError)?;
-		rx.await.map_err(|_| OTError)?
-	}
-
-	pub async fn process(&self, opseq: OperationSeq) -> Result<String, OTError> {
-		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
-		self.ops.send(OpMsg::Process(opseq, tx)).await.map_err(|_| OTError)?;
-		rx.await.map_err(|_| OTError)?
-	}
-
-	pub async fn ack(&self, opseq: OperationSeq) -> Result<(), OTError> {
-		let (tx, rx) = oneshot::channel();
-		self.ops.send(OpMsg::Ack(opseq, tx)).await.map_err(|_| OTError)?;
-		rx.await.map_err(|_| OTError)?
-	}
 }
 
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 enum OpMsg {
-	Exec(OpWrapper, oneshot::Sender<Result<OperationSeq, OTError>>),
-	Process(OperationSeq, oneshot::Sender<Result<String, OTError>>),
-	Ack(OperationSeq, oneshot::Sender<Result<(), OTError>>),
-}
-
-#[derive(Debug)]
-enum OpWrapper {
-	Insert(String, u64),
-	Delete(u64, u64),
-	Cancel(u64, u64),
-	Replace(String),
+	Apply(OperationSeq, oneshot::Sender<String>),
+	Process(OperationSeq, oneshot::Sender<String>),
+	Acknowledge(OperationSeq, oneshot::Sender<()>)
 }
 
 struct AsyncFactoryWorker {
-	factory: OperationFactory,
+	text: String,
 	ops: mpsc::Receiver<OpMsg>,
 	run: watch::Receiver<bool>,
 	content: watch::Sender<String>
@@ -204,7 +141,7 @@ impl AsyncFactoryWorker {
 					match recv {
 						Some(msg) => {
 							match msg {
-								OpMsg::Exec(op, tx) => tx.send(self.exec(op)).unwrap_or(()),
+								OpMsg::Apply(op, tx) => tx.send(self.exec(op)).unwrap_or(()),
 								OpMsg::Process(opseq, tx) => tx.send(self.factory.process(opseq)).unwrap_or(()),
 								OpMsg::Ack(opseq, tx) => tx.send(self.factory.ack(opseq)).unwrap_or(()),
 							}