diff --git a/TODO.FACTOR.txt b/TODO.FACTOR.txt
index 3cca798fa4..fc7a44d21d 100644
--- a/TODO.FACTOR.txt
+++ b/TODO.FACTOR.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 ERROR: I/O error: [ "primitive_read_line_fd_8" "Resource temporarily unavailable" ]
 
+- bignum=
 - fixup-words is crusty
 - decide if overflow is a fatal error
 - f >n: crashes
diff --git a/library/hashtables.factor b/library/hashtables.factor
index e28c6b2c7b..e23ac1aa97 100644
--- a/library/hashtables.factor
+++ b/library/hashtables.factor
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ USE: vectors
 
 : (hashcode) ( key table -- index )
     #! Compute the index of the bucket for a key.
-    >r hashcode HEX: ffffff bitand r> vector-length pred mod ;
+    >r hashcode HEX: ffffff bitand r> vector-length mod ;
 
 : hash* ( key table -- [ key | value ] )
     #! Look up a value in the hashtable. First the bucket is
diff --git a/library/platform/native/init.factor b/library/platform/native/init.factor
index 4b0f673b93..741114af8c 100644
--- a/library/platform/native/init.factor
+++ b/library/platform/native/init.factor
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ USE: io-internals
 USE: math
 USE: namespaces
 USE: parser
+USE: prettyprint
 USE: stack
 USE: stdio
 USE: streams
@@ -77,4 +78,5 @@ USE: unparser
 
     print-banner
     room.
+    
     init-interpreter ;
diff --git a/library/platform/native/kernel.factor b/library/platform/native/kernel.factor
index 24d7e74689..ddb1b11b7b 100644
--- a/library/platform/native/kernel.factor
+++ b/library/platform/native/kernel.factor
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ USE: unparser
         [ cons? ] [ 4 cons-hashcode ]
         [ string? ] [ str-hashcode ]
         [ fixnum? ] [ ( return the object ) ]
+        [ bignum? ] [ ( return the object ) ]
         [ drop t ] [ drop 0 ]
     ] cond ;
 
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ USE: unparser
 : room. ( -- )
     room
     unparse write " bytes total, " write
-    unparse write " bytes used" print ;
+    unparse write " bytes free" print ;
 
 ! No compiler...
 : inline ;
diff --git a/native/arithmetic.c b/native/arithmetic.c
index 340b2c6ecf..d40299fc28 100644
--- a/native/arithmetic.c
+++ b/native/arithmetic.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ INLINE void add_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	CELL_TO_INTEGER(untag_fixnum_fast(x) + untag_fixnum_fast(y));
 }
 
-INLINE void add_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void add_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		+ ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n));
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ INLINE void subtract_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	CELL_TO_INTEGER(untag_fixnum_fast(x) - untag_fixnum_fast(y));
 }
 
-INLINE void subtract_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void subtract_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		- ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n));
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ INLINE void multiply_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 		* (BIGNUM_2)untag_fixnum_fast(y));
 }
 
-INLINE void multiply_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void multiply_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		* ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n));
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ INLINE void divmod_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	env.dt = q.rem;
 }
 
-INLINE void divmod_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void divmod_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	dpush(tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		/ ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n)));
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ INLINE void mod_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	env.dt = x % y;
 }
 
-INLINE void mod_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void mod_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		% ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n));
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ INLINE void and_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	env.dt = x & y;
 }
 
-INLINE void and_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void and_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		& ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n));
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ INLINE void or_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	env.dt = x | y;
 }
 
-INLINE void or_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void or_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		| ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n));
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ INLINE void xor_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	env.dt = x ^ y;
 }
 
-INLINE void xor_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void xor_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		^ ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n));
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ INLINE void shiftleft_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 		<< (BIGNUM_2)untag_fixnum_fast(y));
 }
 
-INLINE void shiftleft_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void shiftleft_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		<< ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n));
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ INLINE void shiftright_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 		>> (BIGNUM_2)untag_fixnum_fast(y));
 }
 
-INLINE void shiftright_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void shiftright_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		>> ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n));
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ INLINE void less_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	env.dt = tag_boolean((FIXNUM)x < (FIXNUM)y);
 }
 
-INLINE void less_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void less_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_boolean(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		< ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n);
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ INLINE void lesseq_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	env.dt = tag_boolean((FIXNUM)x <= (FIXNUM)y);
 }
 
-INLINE void lesseq_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void lesseq_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_boolean(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		<= ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n);
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ INLINE void greater_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	env.dt = tag_boolean((FIXNUM)x > (FIXNUM)y);
 }
 
-INLINE void greater_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void greater_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_boolean(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		> ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n);
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ INLINE void greatereq_fixnum(CELL x, CELL y)
 	env.dt = tag_boolean((FIXNUM)x >= (FIXNUM)y);
 }
 
-INLINE void greatereq_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
+void greatereq_bignum(CELL x, CELL y)
 {
 	env.dt = tag_boolean(((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(x))->n
 		>= ((BIGNUM*)UNTAG(y))->n);
diff --git a/native/memory.c b/native/memory.c
index 623545feda..e3193ccabc 100644
--- a/native/memory.c
+++ b/native/memory.c
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ bool in_zone(ZONE* z, CELL pointer)
 
 void primitive_room(void)
 {
-	/* push: limit here */
+	/* push: free total */
 	dpush(env.dt);
 	env.dt = tag_fixnum(active->limit - active->base);
-	dpush(tag_fixnum(active->here - active->base));
+	dpush(tag_fixnum(active->limit - active->here));
 }
diff --git a/native/string.c b/native/string.c
index 882fbd4b16..cc78257c44 100644
--- a/native/string.c
+++ b/native/string.c
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ STRING* allot_string(CELL capacity)
 /* uses same algorithm as java.lang.String for compatibility */
 void hash_string(STRING* str)
 {
-	CELL hash = 0;
-	int i;
+	FIXNUM hash = 0;
+	CELL i;
 	for(i = 0; i < str->capacity; i++)
 		hash = 31*hash + string_nth(str,i);
 	str->hashcode = hash;
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ void hash_string(STRING* str)
 /* untagged */
 STRING* string(CELL capacity, CELL fill)
 {
-	int i;
+	CELL i;
 
 	STRING* string = allot_string(capacity);
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ STRING* string(CELL capacity, CELL fill)
 STRING* grow_string(STRING* string, CELL capacity, CHAR fill)
 {
 	/* later on, do an optimization: if end of array is here, just grow */
-	int i;
+	CELL i;
 
 	STRING* new_string = allot_string(capacity);
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ STRING* from_c_string(const char* c_string)
 {
 	CELL length = strlen(c_string);
 	STRING* s = allot_string(length);
-	int i;
+	CELL i;
 
 	for(i = 0; i < length; i++)
 	{
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ STRING* from_c_string(const char* c_string)
 char* to_c_string(STRING* s)
 {
 	STRING* _c_str = allot_string(s->capacity + 1 /* null byte */);
-	int i;
+	CELL i;
 
 	char* c_str = (char*)(_c_str + 1);
 	
@@ -147,14 +147,14 @@ void primitive_string_eq(void)
 	CELL with = dpop();
 	check_non_empty(with);
 	if(typep(STRING_TYPE,with))
-		env.dt = tag_boolean(string_eq(s1,UNTAG(with)));
+		env.dt = tag_boolean(string_eq(s1,(STRING*)UNTAG(with)));
 	else
 		env.dt = F;
 }
 
 void primitive_string_hashcode(void)
 {
-	env.dt = tag_fixnum(untag_string(env.dt)->hashcode);
+	env.dt = tag_object(bignum(untag_string(env.dt)->hashcode));
 }
 
 INLINE CELL index_of_ch(CELL index, STRING* string, CELL ch)
diff --git a/native/string.h b/native/string.h
index 916e47fcb4..43088217e8 100644
--- a/native/string.h
+++ b/native/string.h
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	/* untagged */
 	CELL capacity;
 	/* untagged */
-	CELL hashcode;
+	FIXNUM hashcode;
 } STRING;
 
 INLINE STRING* untag_string(CELL tagged)