diff --git a/TODO.FACTOR.txt b/TODO.FACTOR.txt
index 69cb61a14e..cfe3256dc9 100644
--- a/TODO.FACTOR.txt
+++ b/TODO.FACTOR.txt
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@
 
 + i/o:
 
+- merge unix and win32 io where appropriate
+- unix io: handle \n\r and \n\0
 - reader syntax for arrays, byte arrays, displaced aliens
 - separate words for writing characters and strings
 - perhaps:
diff --git a/library/bootstrap/boot-stage3.factor b/library/bootstrap/boot-stage3.factor
index fc4a6e090d..75d6189307 100644
--- a/library/bootstrap/boot-stage3.factor
+++ b/library/bootstrap/boot-stage3.factor
@@ -5,14 +5,14 @@ lists namespaces parser sequences stdio unparser words ;
 
 "Bootstrap stage 3..." print
 
-os "unix" = [
+unix? [
     "libc"     "libc.so"       "cdecl"   add-library
     "sdl"      "libSDL.so"     "cdecl"   add-library
     "sdl-gfx"  "libSDL_gfx.so" "cdecl"   add-library
     "sdl-ttf"  "libSDL_ttf.so" "cdecl"   add-library
 ] when
 
-os "win32" = [
+win32? [
     "kernel32" "kernel32.dll" "stdcall"  add-library
     "user32"   "user32.dll"   "stdcall"  add-library
     "gdi32"    "gdi32.dll"    "stdcall"  add-library
@@ -131,7 +131,14 @@ t [
 ] pull-in
 
 compile? [
-    os "win32" = [
+    unix? [
+        "/library/unix/syscalls.factor"
+        "/library/unix/io.factor"
+        "/library/unix/sockets.factor"
+        "/library/unix/files.factor"
+    ] pull-in
+
+    win32? [
         "/library/win32/win32-io.factor"
         "/library/win32/win32-errors.factor"
         "/library/win32/winsock.factor"
@@ -140,13 +147,6 @@ compile? [
         "/library/win32/win32-server.factor"
         "/library/bootstrap/win32-io.factor"
     ] pull-in
-    
-    os "unix" = [
-        "/library/unix/syscalls.factor"
-        "/library/unix/io.factor"
-        "/library/unix/sockets.factor"
-        "/library/unix/files.factor"
-    ] pull-in
 ] when
 
 compile? [
diff --git a/library/kernel.factor b/library/kernel.factor
index 28841868f9..93d24f86a4 100644
--- a/library/kernel.factor
+++ b/library/kernel.factor
@@ -14,15 +14,6 @@ M: object = eq? ;
 
 GENERIC: clone ( obj -- obj )
 M: object clone ;
-
-: cpu ( -- arch )
-    #! Returns one of "x86", "ppc", or "unknown".
-    7 getenv ;
-
-: os ( -- arch )
-    #! Returns one of "unix" or "win32".
-    11 getenv ;
-
 : set-boot ( quot -- )
     #! Set the boot quotation.
     8 setenv ;
@@ -42,3 +33,10 @@ M: object clone ;
 : or ( a b -- a|b ) t swap ? ; inline
 : xor ( a b -- a^b ) dup not swap ? ; inline
 : implies ( a b -- a->b ) t ? ; inline
+
+: cpu ( -- arch ) 7 getenv ;
+: os ( -- os ) 11 getenv ;
+: win32? ( -- ? ) os "win32" = ;
+: freebsd? ( -- ? ) os "freebsd" = ;
+: linux? ( -- ? ) os "linux" = ;
+: unix? ( -- ? ) freebsd? linux? or ;
diff --git a/native/factor.c b/native/factor.c
index 163a76ca20..c14cebbda8 100644
--- a/native/factor.c
+++ b/native/factor.c
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ void init_factor(char* image, CELL ds_size, CELL cs_size,
 
 #ifdef WIN32
 	userenv[OS_ENV] = tag_object(from_c_string("win32"));
+#elif defined(__FreeBSD__)
+	userenv[OS_ENV] = tag_object(from_c_string("freebsd"));
+#elif defined(linux)
+	userenv[OS_ENV] = tag_object(from_c_string("linux"));
 #else
 	userenv[OS_ENV] = tag_object(from_c_string("unix"));
 #endif