diff --git a/.cvsignore b/.cvsignore
index 7e8cb999..0b65399d 100644
--- a/.cvsignore
+++ b/.cvsignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 .cvsignore
 .mfxcvsup
 ChangeLog.cvs*
+build
 maint
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 00b68490..0ae60ccd 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -2,13 +2,19 @@
 User visible changes for UPX
 ==================================================================
 
-Changes in 1.09.4 beta (13 Nov 2000):
-  * BETA VERSION - DO NOT USE EXCEPT FOR TESTING!!! REALLY.
-  * linux/i386: added the new direct-to-memory executable formats - no
-    more temp files are needed for decompression
+Changes in 1.10 beta (20 Dec 2000):
+  * UNSTABLE BETA VERSION - DO NOT USE EXCEPT FOR TESTING!!! REALLY.
+  * vmlinuz/386: new format - UPX now supports bootable linux kernels
+  * linux/386: added the new direct-to-memory executable formats - no
+    more temp files are needed for decompression!
   * reduced overall memory requirements during packing
   * quite a number of internal source code rearrangements
 
+Changes in 1.04 (19 Dec 2000)
+  * dos/exe: fixed an internal error when using `--no-reloc'
+  * win32/pe: fixed a rare bug in the relocation handling code
+  * some tunings for the default compression level
+
 Changes in 1.03 (30 Nov 2000)
   * linked with a new version of the NRV compression library:
       - improved compression ratio a little bit
@@ -51,7 +57,7 @@ Changes in 0.99 (25 Feb 2000)
   * FULL SOURCE CODE RELEASED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE GNU GPL
   * win32/pe: changed default to `--strip-relocs=1'
   * dos/com and dos/sys: fixed a bad decompressor problem
-  * linux/i386: the counter for the progress indicator was off by one
+  * linux/386: the counter for the progress indicator was off by one
 
 Changes in 0.94 (06 Dec 1999)
   * win32/pe: the stub now calls ExitProcess in case of import errors
@@ -61,7 +67,7 @@ Changes in 0.94 (06 Dec 1999)
 Changes in 0.93 (22 Nov 1999)
   * win32/pe: fixed --strip-relocs problem with uncompression
   * win32/pe: fixed a bug which could produce a broken decompressor stub
-  * linux/i386: yet another FreeBSD compatibility fix
+  * linux/386: yet another FreeBSD compatibility fix
 
 Changes in 0.92 (14 Nov 1999)
   * win32/pe: really fixed that one line (see below)
@@ -80,8 +86,8 @@ Changes in 0.90 (10 Nov 1999)
   * win32/pe: resource handling is rewritten
   * win32/pe: the last :-) TLS problem is fixed
   * win32/pe: somewhat less memory is required during compression
-  * linux/i386: fixed compression of scripts which was broken since 0.71
-  * linux/i386: more FreeBSD compatibility issues
+  * linux/386: fixed compression of scripts which was broken since 0.71
+  * linux/386: more FreeBSD compatibility issues
   * changed option: `-i' now prints some more details during compression
     (not finished yet)
 
@@ -92,12 +98,12 @@ Changes in 0.84 (04 Oct 1999)
 Changes in 0.83 (17 Sep 1999)
   * dos/exe: fixed minimal memory requirement problem for some files
   * win32/pe: fixed a bug which caused a crash in some compressed files
-  * linux/i386: various improvements in the stub; also, for the sake
+  * linux/386: various improvements in the stub; also, for the sake
     of FreeBSD users, the stub is now branded as Linux/ELF
 
 Changes in 0.82 (16 Aug 1999)
   * dos/exe: fixed a decompressor bug which could cause crash on some files
-  * linux/i386: section headers are now stripped from the stub so that
+  * linux/386: section headers are now stripped from the stub so that
     `strip' won't ruin a compressed file any longer
   * wc/le: support for stack not in the last object disabled again
   * win32/pe: removed some unneeded data
@@ -143,11 +149,11 @@ Changes in 0.72 (12 May 1999)
   * win32/pe: never compress TYPELIB resources
   * win32/pe: compressed files are hopefully less suspicious to heuristic
     virus scanners now
-  * linux/i386: minor decompressor stub updates, nicer progress bar
+  * linux/386: minor decompressor stub updates, nicer progress bar
 
 Changes in 0.71 (19 Apr 1999)
   * dos/exe: added option `--no-overlay'
-  * linux/i386: various improvements in the stub, most notably the
+  * linux/386: various improvements in the stub, most notably the
     overhead for an extra cleanup process has been removed
   * win32/pe: added support for export forwarders
   * win32/pe: added support for DLLs without entry point or imports
@@ -157,7 +163,7 @@ Changes in 0.71 (19 Apr 1999)
   * win32/pe: rearranged stub to avoid false alerts from some virus scanners
 
 Changes in 0.70 (30 Mar 1999)
-  * added support for linux/i386 executables
+  * added support for linux/386 executables
   * improved compression ratio quite a bit
   * added new compression level `--best' to squeeze out even some more bytes
   * win32/pe: TLS support is much better now
diff --git a/doc/upx.pod b/doc/upx.pod
index 2877c405..40e06b9b 100644
--- a/doc/upx.pod
+++ b/doc/upx.pod
@@ -146,7 +146,8 @@ B<--stdout>: writes all output to stdout
 =head1 COMPRESSION LEVELS & TUNING
 
 B<UPX> offers ten different compression levels from B<-1> to B<-9>,
-and B<--best>.  The default compression level is B<-7>.
+and B<--best>.  The default compression level is B<-8> for files
+smaller than 512 kB, and B<-7> otherwise.
 
 =over 4
 
@@ -479,6 +480,8 @@ and does not use /proc.
 
 Linux/elf386 is automatically selected for Linux ELF exectuables.
 
+Packed programs will be byte-identical to the original after uncompression.
+
 How it works:
 
   For ELF executables, UPX decompresses directly to memory, simulating
@@ -525,6 +528,8 @@ It does not use space in /tmp, and does not use /proc.
 Linux/sh386 is automatically selected for shell scripts that
 use a known shell.
 
+Packed programs will be byte-identical to the original after uncompression.
+
 How it works:
 
   For shell script executables (files beginning with "#!/" or "#! /")
@@ -567,6 +572,8 @@ and needs /proc filesystem support.
 Linux/386 is only selected if the specialized linux/elf386
 and linux/sh386 won't recognize a file.
 
+Packed programs will be byte-identical to the original after uncompression.
+
 How it works:
 
   For files which are not ELF and not a script for a known "-c" shell,
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index d2eea5b3..47c95b59 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ INCLUDES = -I$(srcdir)
 CFLAGS_OUTPUT = -o $@
 CXXFLAGS_OUTPUT = $(CFLAGS_OUTPUT)
 
-LINK_EXE = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LDLIBS)
+LINK_EXE = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(EXTRA_LDFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LDLIBS)
 STUBEDIT_EXE =
 
 o = .o
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 ##LINK_LDFLAGS += /verbose
-LINK_EXE = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -Fe$@ $^ $(LDLIBS) $(LINK_LDFLAGS)
+LINK_EXE = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(EXTRA_LDFLAGS) -Fe$@ $^ $(LDLIBS) $(LINK_LDFLAGS)
 
 endif	# vc6
 
@@ -284,10 +284,10 @@ endif
 ifeq (1,2) # purify
   DEFS += -D__PURIFY__
   LDFLAGS = -g -L/home/ethmola/local/lib
-  LINK_EXE = purify $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LDLIBS)
+  LINK_EXE = purify $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(EXTRA_LDFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LDLIBS)
 else
   LDFLAGS += -g -L/home/ethmola/local/lib
-  LINK_EXE = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LDLIBS)
+  LINK_EXE = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(EXTRA_LDFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LDLIBS)
 endif
 
 endif	# sparc
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ else
   CFLAGS += -O2 -d
 endif
 
-LINK_EXE = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -e$@ $^ $(LDLIBS)
+LINK_EXE = $(CC) $(LDFLAGS) $(EXTRA_LDFLAGS) -e$@ $^ $(LDLIBS)
 
 endif	# bcc
 
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 9ed2d391..1c5858e6 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -42,17 +42,18 @@ void init_options(struct options_t *o)
 
     o->cmd = CMD_NONE;
     o->method = -1;
-    o->level = 7;
+    o->level = -1;
     o->mem_level = -1;
     o->filter = -1;
 
     o->backup = -1;
     o->overlay = -1;
 
+    o->console = CON_FILE;
 #if defined(__MFX_DOS) || defined(__MFX_WIN)
     o->console = CON_INIT;
-#else
-    o->console = CON_FILE;
+#elif 1 && defined(__linux__)
+    o->console = CON_INIT;
 #endif
     o->verbose = 2;
 
diff --git a/src/p_lx_elf.cpp b/src/p_lx_elf.cpp
index 88685443..98aeeba3 100644
--- a/src/p_lx_elf.cpp
+++ b/src/p_lx_elf.cpp
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ void PackLinuxI386elf::updateLoader(OutputFile *fo)
 #undef PAGE_MASK
 }
 
+
 void PackLinuxI386elf::patchLoader()
 {
     lsize = getLoaderSize();
@@ -170,6 +171,8 @@ bool PackLinuxI386elf::canPack()
 {
     unsigned char buf[512];
 
+    // FIXME: add special checks for uncompresed "vmlinux" kernel
+
     fi->readx(buf,512);
     fi->seek(0,0);
     if (0==memcmp(buf, "\x7f\x45\x4c\x46\x01\x01\x01", 7)) { // ELF 32-bit LSB
@@ -188,6 +191,7 @@ bool PackLinuxI386elf::canPack()
                 break;
             }
         }
+        exetype = 1;
         return super::canPack();
     }
     return false;
@@ -406,11 +410,6 @@ void PackLinuxI386elf::unpackExtent(unsigned wanted, OutputFile *fo,
 }
 
 
-bool PackLinuxI386elf::canUnpackFormat(int format) const
-{
-    return UPX_F_LINUX_ELF_i386==format || UPX_F_LINUX_SEP_i386==format;
-}
-
 void PackLinuxI386elf::unpack(OutputFile *fo)
 {
 #define MAX_ELF_HDR 512
diff --git a/src/p_lx_elf.h b/src/p_lx_elf.h
index 82588d9b..0662796b 100644
--- a/src/p_lx_elf.h
+++ b/src/p_lx_elf.h
@@ -33,8 +33,10 @@
 #ifndef __UPX_P_LX_ELF_H  //{
 #define __UPX_P_LX_ELF_H
 
-#include "p_unix.h"
-#include "p_elf.h"
+
+/*************************************************************************
+// linux/elf386
+**************************************************************************/
 
 class PackLinuxI386elf : public PackLinuxI386
 {
@@ -51,10 +53,10 @@ public:
     virtual void unpack(OutputFile *fo);
 
     virtual bool canPack();
-    virtual bool canUnpackFormat(int format) const;
     virtual bool canUnpackVersion(int version) const
         { return (version >= 11); }
 
+protected:
     struct Extent {
         off_t offset;
         off_t size;
@@ -76,7 +78,8 @@ protected:
     Elf_LE32_Phdr *phdri; // for  input file
 };
 
-#endif //}__UPX_P_LX_ELF_H
+
+#endif /*} already included */
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/p_lx_sep.cpp b/src/p_lx_sep.cpp
index 12de38ba..37be0f9e 100644
--- a/src/p_lx_sep.cpp
+++ b/src/p_lx_sep.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
 
 #include "file.h"
 #include "packer.h"
+#include "p_elf.h"
+#include "p_unix.h"
+#include "p_lx_elf.h"
 #include "p_lx_sep.h"
 
 
diff --git a/src/p_lx_sep.h b/src/p_lx_sep.h
index b007060a..6b396614 100644
--- a/src/p_lx_sep.h
+++ b/src/p_lx_sep.h
@@ -26,10 +26,14 @@
    jreiser@BitWagon.com
  */
 
+
 #ifndef __UPX_P_LX_SEP_H  //{
 #define __UPX_P_LX_SEP_H
 
-#include "p_lx_elf.h"
+
+/*************************************************************************
+// linux/sep386
+**************************************************************************/
 
 class PackLinuxI386sep : public PackLinuxI386elf
 {
@@ -49,7 +53,7 @@ protected:
 };
 
 
-#endif //}__UPX_P_LX_SEP_H
+#endif /*} already included */
 
 /*
 vi:ts=4:et
diff --git a/src/p_lx_sh.cpp b/src/p_lx_sh.cpp
index 76a4ad3c..d35ca115 100644
--- a/src/p_lx_sh.cpp
+++ b/src/p_lx_sh.cpp
@@ -167,12 +167,6 @@ bool PackLinuxI386sh::getShellName(char *buf)
 }
 
 
-bool PackLinuxI386sh::canUnpackFormat(int format) const
-{
-    return UPX_F_LINUX_SH_i386==format;
-}
-
-
 bool PackLinuxI386sh::canPack()
 {
 #if defined(__linux__)  //{
diff --git a/src/p_lx_sh.h b/src/p_lx_sh.h
index c73346b2..bb363a39 100644
--- a/src/p_lx_sh.h
+++ b/src/p_lx_sh.h
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@
 #ifndef __UPX_P_LX_SH_H  //{
 #define __UPX_P_LX_SH_H
 
+
+/*************************************************************************
+// linux/sh386
+**************************************************************************/
+
 class PackLinuxI386sh : public PackLinuxI386
 {
     typedef PackLinuxI386 super;
@@ -47,8 +52,6 @@ public:
     virtual bool canPack();
     virtual void pack(OutputFile *fo);
     // virtual void unpack(OutputFile *fo) { super::unpack(fo); }
-
-    virtual bool canUnpackFormat(int format) const;
     virtual bool canUnpackVersion(int version) const
         { return (version >= 11); }
 
@@ -65,7 +68,8 @@ protected:
     int l_shname;  // length of name_of_shell
 };
 
-#endif //}__UPX_P_LX_SH_H
+
+#endif /*} already included */
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/p_tos.cpp b/src/p_tos.cpp
index c52763e1..730e2bb2 100644
--- a/src/p_tos.cpp
+++ b/src/p_tos.cpp
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ unsigned PackTos::patch_d0_subq(void *b, int blen, unsigned d0,
     // patch a "subq.l #1,d0" or "subq.w #1,d0".
     // also convert into "dbra" if possible
     assert((int)d0 > 0);
+
     int boff = find_be16(b, blen, get_be16(subq_marker));
     if (boff < 0)
         throwBadLoader();
diff --git a/src/p_unix.cpp b/src/p_unix.cpp
index afe02a53..bab0434f 100644
--- a/src/p_unix.cpp
+++ b/src/p_unix.cpp
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ void PackUnix::unpack(OutputFile *fo)
 
 
 /*************************************************************************
-// Linux/i386 specific (execve format)
+// linux/i386 (generic "execve" format)
 **************************************************************************/
 
 static const
@@ -350,6 +350,7 @@ const upx_byte *PackLinuxI386::getLoader() const
     return NULL;
 }
 
+
 int PackLinuxI386::getLoaderSize() const
 {
     if (0!=lsize) {
@@ -362,13 +363,18 @@ int PackLinuxI386::getLoaderSize() const
     return 0;
 }
 
+
 int PackLinuxI386::getLoaderPrefixSize() const
 {
     return 116;
 }
 
+
 bool PackLinuxI386::canPack()
 {
+    if (exetype != 0)
+        return super::canPack();
+
     Elf_LE32_Ehdr ehdr;
     unsigned char *buf = ehdr.e_ident;
 
@@ -377,8 +383,11 @@ bool PackLinuxI386::canPack()
 
     exetype = 0;
     const unsigned l = get_le32(buf);
+#if 0
+    // NOTE: ELF executables are now handled by p_lx_elf.cpp.
     if (!memcmp(buf, "\x7f\x45\x4c\x46\x01\x01\x01", 7)) // ELF 32-bit LSB
     {
+        // FIXME: add special checks for uncompresed "vmlinux" kernel
         exetype = 1;
         // now check the ELF header
         if (!memcmp(buf+8, "FreeBSD", 7))               // branded
@@ -390,7 +399,9 @@ bool PackLinuxI386::canPack()
         if (ehdr.e_version != 1)                        // version
             exetype = 0;
     }
-    else if (l == 0x00640107 || l == 0x00640108 || l == 0x0064010b || l == 0x006400cc)
+    else
+#endif
+    if (l == 0x00640107 || l == 0x00640108 || l == 0x0064010b || l == 0x006400cc)
     {
         // OMAGIC / NMAGIC / ZMAGIC / QMAGIC
         exetype = 2;
@@ -506,6 +517,8 @@ void PackLinuxI386::updateLoader(OutputFile *fo)
     fo->rewrite(loader, 0x80);
 #undef PAGE_MASK
 }
+
+
 /*
 vi:ts=4:et
 */
diff --git a/src/p_unix.h b/src/p_unix.h
index 163c7bb2..1684569d 100644
--- a/src/p_unix.h
+++ b/src/p_unix.h
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ protected:
 
 
 /*************************************************************************
-// linux/i386 (execve format)
+// linux/i386 (generic "execve" format)
 **************************************************************************/
 
 class PackLinuxI386 : public PackUnixLe32
diff --git a/src/p_vmlinz.cpp b/src/p_vmlinz.cpp
index d0301b2a..b4dae103 100644
--- a/src/p_vmlinz.cpp
+++ b/src/p_vmlinz.cpp
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ void PackBvmlinuzI386::pack(OutputFile *fo)
 
 int PackVmlinuzI386::canUnpack()
 {
-    return false;
+    return readFileHeader() == getFormat();
 }
 
 
@@ -353,6 +353,9 @@ void PackVmlinuzI386::unpack(OutputFile *)
 {
     // no uncompression support for this format, so that
     // it is possible to remove the original deflate code (>10KB)
+
+    // FIXME: but we could write the uncompressed "vmlinux" image
+
     throwCantUnpack("build a new kernel instead :-)");
 }
 
diff --git a/src/p_vmlinz.h b/src/p_vmlinz.h
index 30a4b008..35a33c56 100644
--- a/src/p_vmlinz.h
+++ b/src/p_vmlinz.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ protected:
         unsigned char   hdrs[4];        // "HdrS"
         LE16            version;        // boot protocol
         char            _____[9];
-        unsigned char    load_flags;
+        unsigned char   load_flags;
         char            ______[2];
         LE32            code32_start;
 
diff --git a/src/p_w32pe.cpp b/src/p_w32pe.cpp
index 28f212a8..9a1eadee 100644
--- a/src/p_w32pe.cpp
+++ b/src/p_w32pe.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
    markus.oberhumer@jk.uni-linz.ac.at        ml1050@cdata.tvnet.hu
  */
 
+
 #include "conf.h"
 #include "file.h"
 #include "filter.h"
diff --git a/src/p_wcle.cpp b/src/p_wcle.cpp
index 4acfd3e4..6e24c6e5 100644
--- a/src/p_wcle.cpp
+++ b/src/p_wcle.cpp
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ void PackWcle::pack(OutputFile *fo)
     ic = (OOT(0,virtual_size) - d_len) &~ 15;
     assert(ic > ((ph.u_len + overlapoh + 31) &~ 15));
 
-    upx_byte *p = oimage+soimage-d_len;
+    upx_byte * const p = oimage + soimage - d_len;
     patch_le32(p,d_len,"JMPO",ih.init_eip_offset+text_vaddr-(ic+d_len));
     patch_le32(p,d_len,"ESP0",ih.init_esp_offset+IOT(ih.init_ss_object-1,my_base_address));
     if (patchFilter32(p, d_len, &ft) && text_vaddr)
diff --git a/src/packer.cpp b/src/packer.cpp
index e953923b..95b9419c 100644
--- a/src/packer.cpp
+++ b/src/packer.cpp
@@ -569,11 +569,13 @@ void Packer::initPackHeader()
 // this is called directly after canPack() from class PackMaster
 void Packer::updatePackHeader()
 {
-    ph.method = getCompressionMethod();
-    ph.level = getCompressionLevel();
     // update our local options
-    opt->method = ph.method;
-    opt->level = ph.level;
+    if (opt->level < 0)
+        opt->level = file_size < 512*1024 ? 8 : 7;
+    opt->method = getCompressionMethod();
+    // set ph
+    ph.level = opt->level;
+    ph.method = opt->method;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/packer.h b/src/packer.h
index 90c50fc6..5072ce3f 100644
--- a/src/packer.h
+++ b/src/packer.h
@@ -108,7 +108,6 @@ public:
     virtual int getFormat() const = 0;
     virtual const char *getName() const = 0;
     virtual int getCompressionMethod() const = 0;
-    virtual int getCompressionLevel() const { return opt->level; }
     virtual const int *getFilters() const = 0;
 
     // PackMaster entries
diff --git a/src/packmast.cpp b/src/packmast.cpp
index 538dd8bb..108a2a95 100644
--- a/src/packmast.cpp
+++ b/src/packmast.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,10 @@ static Packer* try_packers(InputFile *f, try_function func)
     Packer *p = NULL;
 
     // note: order of tries is important !
+
+    //
+    // .exe
+    //
     if (!opt->dos.force_stub)
     {
         if ((p = func(new PackDjgpp2(f),f)) != NULL)
@@ -161,8 +165,16 @@ static Packer* try_packers(InputFile *f, try_function func)
     }
     if ((p = func(new PackExe(f),f)) != NULL)
         return p;
+
+    //
+    // atari
+    //
     if ((p = func(new PackTos(f),f)) != NULL)
         return p;
+
+    //
+    // linux
+    //
 #if 0
     if (opt->unix.script_name)
     {
@@ -180,6 +192,10 @@ static Packer* try_packers(InputFile *f, try_function func)
         return p;
     if ((p = func(new PackLinuxI386(f),f)) != NULL)
         return p;
+
+    //
+    // .sys and .com
+    //
     if ((p = func(new PackSys(f),f)) != NULL)
         return p;
     if ((p = func(new PackCom(f),f)) != NULL)