diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 2f864135..87a258bf 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ FUTURE
    documentation; fix this
 
 0.8.0
+* shell functionality should just use system(), but redirect in and
+   out to Pry.input and Pry.output by reassining $stdin and $stdout
+   for duration of block.
 * basicobject and no to_s/inspect support
 * fix documentation, support rdoc and yard properly
 * only load Ripper if 1.9 AND MRI (support jruby 1.9, using
diff --git a/lib/pry.rb b/lib/pry.rb
index f3657b9c..788a7705 100644
--- a/lib/pry.rb
+++ b/lib/pry.rb
@@ -20,14 +20,14 @@ if RUBY_PLATFORM =~ /mswin/ || RUBY_PLATFORM =~ /mingw/
   end
 end
 
-require "pry/version"
-require "pry/hooks"
-require "pry/print"
-require "pry/command_base"
-require "pry/commands"
-require "pry/prompts"
-require "pry/custom_completions"
-require "pry/completion"
-require "pry/core_extensions"
-require "pry/pry_class"
-require "pry/pry_instance"
+require "#{direc}/pry/version"
+require "#{direc}/pry/hooks"
+require "#{direc}/pry/print"
+require "#{direc}/pry/command_base"
+require "#{direc}/pry/commands"
+require "#{direc}/pry/prompts"
+require "#{direc}/pry/custom_completions"
+require "#{direc}/pry/completion"
+require "#{direc}/pry/core_extensions"
+require "#{direc}/pry/pry_class"
+require "#{direc}/pry/pry_instance"
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands.rb b/lib/pry/commands.rb
index 48ecb14b..64ad3634 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+direc = File.dirname(__FILE__)
+
 require "optparse"
 require "method_source"
-require "pry/command_base"
-require "pry/pry_instance"
+require "#{direc}/command_base"
+require "#{direc}/pry_instance"
 
 begin
 
@@ -17,20 +19,6 @@ class Pry
   # Default commands used by Pry.
   class Commands < CommandBase
 
-    # hidden commands for file-system interaction
-    command ":cd", "" do |direc|
-      Dir.chdir File.expand_path(direc)
-      output.puts direc
-    end
-
-    command ":ls", "" do
-      output.puts Dir.entries('.')
-    end
-
-    command ":pwd", "" do
-      output.puts Dir.pwd
-    end
-
     # We make this a lambda to avoid documenting it
     meth_name_from_binding = lambda do |b|
       meth_name = b.eval('__method__')
@@ -146,6 +134,7 @@ class Pry
       end
     end
 
+    # FIXME: when restoring backups does not restore descriptions
     command "file-mode", "Toggle file mode." do
       case Pry.active_instance.prompt
       when Pry::FILE_PROMPT
diff --git a/lib/pry/prompts.rb b/lib/pry/prompts.rb
index 65fdd0d1..2afdfe4c 100644
--- a/lib/pry/prompts.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/prompts.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class Pry
   SIMPLE_PROMPT = [proc { ">> " }, proc { ">* " }]
 
   FILE_PROMPT = [
-                 proc { |target_self, _| "pry(#{Pry.view_clip(target_self)}:#{Dir.pwd}> " },
-                 proc { |target_self, _| "pry(#{Pry.view_clip(target_self)}:#{Dir.pwd}* " }
+                 proc { |target_self, _| "pry #{Pry.view_clip(target_self)}:#{Dir.pwd} $ " },
+                 proc { |target_self, _| "pry #{Pry.view_clip(target_self)}:#{Dir.pwd} * " }
                 ]
 end
diff --git a/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb b/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb
index ec44eb12..99eaf4d1 100644
--- a/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb
@@ -240,6 +240,26 @@ class Pry
     target.eval("_ex_ = ::Pry.last_exception")
   end
 
+  # FIXME
+  def system_command(val)
+    if val =~ /^:(.*)/
+      execute_system_command($1)
+      val.clear
+    else
+      return false
+    end
+    true
+  end
+
+  def execute_system_command(cmd)
+    if cmd =~ /^cd\s+(.+)/i
+      Dir.chdir(File.expand_path($1))
+      system(cmd)
+    else
+      system(cmd)
+    end
+  end
+  
   # Determine whether a Pry command was matched and return command data
   # and argument string.
   # This method should not need to be invoked directly.
@@ -266,6 +286,8 @@ class Pry
     def val.clear() replace("") end
     def eval_string.clear() replace("") end
 
+    return if system_command(val)
+
     cmd_data, args_string = command_matched(val)
 
     # no command was matched, so return to caller