diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 45e3fac..3a59e22 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -16,8 +16,14 @@ rescue LoadError
   puts "Install jeweler to build gem"
 end
 
-task :examples do
-  ruby  "-rubygems", "examples.rb"
+desc "runs the examples with the rubygems version of exemplor (you must gem install the gem for this to work)"
+task :examples, [:filter] do |_,args|
+  ruby "-rubygems", "examples.rb", (args.filter || '')
+end
+
+desc "runs the examples with the development version (i.e. the one in this dir) of exemplor"
+task :dev, [:filter] do |_,args|
+  ruby '-rubygems', '-I', 'lib', 'examples.rb', (args.filter || '')
 end
 
 task :test => :examples
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples.rb b/examples.rb
index 275017f..5670e0b 100644
--- a/examples.rb
+++ b/examples.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-# uses the gem version, not the one being tested
 require 'exemplor'
 
+# Each test runs in a subshell, exemplor is tested with exemplor but from
+# a version running in a different process. Exemplor hates unit tests.
+
 eg "Exemplor.version comes from the version file" do
   version = `ruby -rubygems -Ilib -e "require 'exemplor' ; print Exemplor.version"`
   Check(version).is(File.read(__FILE__.sub('examples.rb','VERSION')))
@@ -24,25 +26,30 @@ def examples filenames
   end
 end
 
-# slow because each test runs in a subshell
 examples %w[
   no_checks
-  oneliner
   no_checks_non_string
-  with_checks
-  check_with_disambiguation
+  
+  simple_show
+  multi_show
+  show_with_disambiguation
+  
   assertion_success
   assertion_failure
   assertion_success_and_failure
   assertion_success_and_info
   failure_halts_execution
+  
   helpers
   with_setup
   checking_nil
-  dumping_classes
+  showing_classes
   check_parsing
 ]
 
+# I never use this guy, candidate for removal
+examples %w[oneliner]
+
 eg.helpers do
   # Exemplor outputs valid yaml, for some of our assertions it's easier to use
   # the parsed structure
diff --git a/examples/assertion_failure.rb b/examples/assertion_failure.rb
index 7abf25d..2fdb083 100644
--- a/examples/assertion_failure.rb
+++ b/examples/assertion_failure.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 eg 'Assertion failure' do
   list = [1, 2, 3]
-  Check(list.first).is(2)
+  Assert(list.first == 2)
 end
 
 __END__
@@ -10,7 +10,5 @@
 - name: Assertion failure
   status: failure
   result: 
-  - name: list.first
-    status: failure
-    expected: 2
-    actual: 1
\ No newline at end of file
+  - name: list.first == 2
+    status: failure
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/assertion_success.rb b/examples/assertion_success.rb
index 90cf19b..06e577e 100644
--- a/examples/assertion_success.rb
+++ b/examples/assertion_success.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 eg 'Asserting first is first' do
   list = [1, 2, 3]
-  Check(list.first).is(1)
+  Assert(list.first)
 end
 
 __END__
@@ -11,5 +11,4 @@
   status: success
   result: 
   - name: list.first
-    status: success
-    result: 1
\ No newline at end of file
+    status: success
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/assertion_success_and_failure.rb b/examples/assertion_success_and_failure.rb
index ee05079..46b92d5 100644
--- a/examples/assertion_success_and_failure.rb
+++ b/examples/assertion_success_and_failure.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 eg 'Some successes, then a fail' do
   list = [1, 2, 3]
-  Check(list.first).is(1)
-  Check(list[1]).is(2)
-  Check(list.last).is(1) # fail!
-  Check(list[2]).is(3) # would be successful but we never get here
+  Assert(list.first == 1)
+  Assert(list[1] == 2)
+  Assert(list.last == 1) # fail!
+  Assert(list[2] == 3) # would be successful but we never get here
 end
 
 __END__
@@ -13,13 +13,9 @@
 - name: Some successes, then a fail
   status: failure
   result: 
-  - name: list.first
+  - name: list.first == 1
     status: success
-    result: 1
-  - name: list[1]
+  - name: list[1] == 2
     status: success
-    result: 2
-  - name: list.last
-    status: failure
-    expected: 1
-    actual: 3
\ No newline at end of file
+  - name: list.last == 1
+    status: failure
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/assertion_success_and_info.rb b/examples/assertion_success_and_info.rb
index fec9a13..e3de00c 100644
--- a/examples/assertion_success_and_info.rb
+++ b/examples/assertion_success_and_info.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 eg 'Some successes, then an info' do
   list = [1, 2, 3]
-  Check(list.first).is(1)
-  Check(list[1]).is(2)
-  Check(list.last) # the info one
-  Check(list[2]).is(3)
+  Assert(list.first ==1)
+  Assert(list[1] == 2)
+  Show(list.last) # the info one
+  Assert(list[2] == 3)
 end
 
 __END__
@@ -13,15 +13,12 @@
 - name: Some successes, then an info
   status: info (with checks)
   result: 
-  - name: list.first
+  - name: list.first ==1
     status: success
-    result: 1
-  - name: list[1]
+  - name: list[1] == 2
     status: success
-    result: 2
   - name: list.last
     status: info
     result: 3
-  - name: list[2]
-    status: success
-    result: 3
\ No newline at end of file
+  - name: list[2] == 3
+    status: success
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/check_parsing.rb b/examples/check_parsing.rb
index ed31679..6db9b0c 100644
--- a/examples/check_parsing.rb
+++ b/examples/check_parsing.rb
@@ -5,29 +5,26 @@ def foo() 'bar' end
 end
 
 eg "plain call" do
-  Check(foo)
+  Show(foo)
 end
 
 eg "whitespace after the call (seriously)" do
-  Check(foo) 
+  Show(foo) 
 end
 
 eg "comment after the call" do
-  Check(foo) # comment!
+  Show(foo) # comment!
 end
 
 eg "with brackets" do
-  Check(String.new('test'))
-end
-
-eg "with brackets and is" do
-  Check(String.new('test')).is("test")
+  Show(String.new('test'))
 end
 
 eg "with disambiguation" do
-  Check(foo)['bar'].is('bar')
+  Show(foo)['bar']
 end
 
+
 __END__
 
 - name: plain call
@@ -54,15 +51,9 @@ def foo() 'bar' end
   - name: String.new('test')
     status: info
     result: test
-- name: with brackets and is
-  status: success
-  result: 
-  - name: String.new('test')
-    status: success
-    result: test
 - name: with disambiguation
-  status: success
+  status: info (with checks)
   result: 
   - name: foo bar
-    status: success
+    status: info
     result: bar
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/checking_nil.rb b/examples/checking_nil.rb
index 06b2c8a..90cb41f 100644
--- a/examples/checking_nil.rb
+++ b/examples/checking_nil.rb
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 require 'exemplor'
 
+# this is kind of a compromise, looking for better ideas
+
 eg "checking nil works correctly" do
-  Check(nil)
+  Show(nil)
 end
 
 eg "asserting for nil works correctly" do
-  Check(nil).is(nil)
+  Assert(nil == nil)
 end
 
 __END__
@@ -19,6 +21,5 @@
 - name: asserting for nil works correctly
   status: success
   result: 
-  - name: nil
-    status: success
-    result: 
\ No newline at end of file
+  - name: nil == nil
+    status: success
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/failure_halts_execution.rb b/examples/failure_halts_execution.rb
index baf3212..229c186 100644
--- a/examples/failure_halts_execution.rb
+++ b/examples/failure_halts_execution.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 eg 'Failures halt execution' do
   list = [1, 2, 3]
-  Check(list.first).is(1_000_000) # fail!
+  Assert(list.first == 1_000_000) # fail!
   raise "foo" # we never get here
 end
 
@@ -11,7 +11,5 @@
 - name: Failures halt execution
   status: failure
   result: 
-  - name: list.first
-    status: failure
-    expected: 1000000
-    actual: 1
\ No newline at end of file
+  - name: list.first == 1_000_000
+    status: failure
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/with_checks.rb b/examples/multi_show.rb
similarity index 82%
rename from examples/with_checks.rb
rename to examples/multi_show.rb
index 24d453d..7f4c833 100644
--- a/examples/with_checks.rb
+++ b/examples/multi_show.rb
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 eg 'Accessing different parts of an array' do
   list = [1, 2, 3]
-  Check(list.first)
-  Check(list[1])
-  Check(list.last)
+  Show(list.first)
+  Show(list[1])
+  Show(list.last)
 end
 
 __END__
diff --git a/examples/check_with_disambiguation.rb b/examples/show_with_disambiguation.rb
similarity index 76%
rename from examples/check_with_disambiguation.rb
rename to examples/show_with_disambiguation.rb
index f26e47b..043d8e7 100644
--- a/examples/check_with_disambiguation.rb
+++ b/examples/show_with_disambiguation.rb
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 eg 'Array appending' do
   list = [1, 42]
-  Check(list.last)["before append"]
+  Show(list.last)["before append"]
   list << 2
-  Check(list.last)["after append"]
+  Show(list.last)["after append"]
 end
 
 __END__
diff --git a/examples/dumping_classes.rb b/examples/showing_classes.rb
similarity index 92%
rename from examples/dumping_classes.rb
rename to examples/showing_classes.rb
index 81614f1..5320f33 100644
--- a/examples/dumping_classes.rb
+++ b/examples/showing_classes.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 end
 
 eg "class name is printed when check is given a class" do
-  Check(Object)
+  Show(Object)
 end
 
 __END__
diff --git a/examples/simple_show.rb b/examples/simple_show.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..282c747
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/simple_show.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+require 'exemplor'
+
+eg 'Showing the value of some expression' do
+  list = [1, 2, 3]
+  Show(list.first)
+end
+
+__END__
+
+- name: Showing the value of some expression
+  status: info (with checks)
+  result: 
+  - name: list.first
+    status: info
+    result: 1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/ten_percent_failures.rb b/examples/ten_percent_failures.rb
index d37c2e5..803b30b 100644
--- a/examples/ten_percent_failures.rb
+++ b/examples/ten_percent_failures.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 require 'exemplor'
 
-eg { Check(1).is(1) }
-eg { Check(2).is(2) }
-eg { Check(3).is(3) }
-eg { Check(4).is(4) }
-eg { Check(5).is(5) }
-eg { Check(6).is(6) }
-eg { Check(7).is(7) }
-eg { Check(8).is(8) }
-eg { Check(9).is(9) }
-eg { Check(false).is(true) }
\ No newline at end of file
+eg { Assert(1 == 1) }
+eg { Assert(2 == 2) }
+eg { Assert(3 == 3) }
+eg { Assert(4 == 4) }
+eg { Assert(5 == 5) }
+eg { Assert(6 == 6) }
+eg { Assert(7 == 7) }
+eg { Assert(8 == 8) }
+eg { Assert(9 == 9) }
+eg { Assert(false == true) }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/with_setup.rb b/examples/with_setup.rb
index 0f97ed1..cf4b1c9 100644
--- a/examples/with_setup.rb
+++ b/examples/with_setup.rb
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
 
 eg 'Modified env' do
   @str << " bar"
-  Check(@str).is("foo bar")
+  Assert(@str == 'foo bar')
 end
 
 eg 'Unmodified env' do
-  Check(@str).is("foo")
+  Assert(@str == 'foo')
 end
 
 __END__
@@ -16,12 +16,10 @@
 - name: Modified env
   status: success
   result: 
-  - name: "@str"
+  - name: "@str == 'foo bar'"
     status: success
-    result: foo bar
 - name: Unmodified env
   status: success
   result: 
-  - name: "@str"
-    status: success
-    result: foo
\ No newline at end of file
+  - name: "@str == 'foo'"
+    status: success
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/checker.rb b/lib/checker.rb
index cd6c806..463c8ec 100644
--- a/lib/checker.rb
+++ b/lib/checker.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,9 @@
 module Exemplor
   class Check
 
-    attr_reader :expectation, :value, :status
-
     def initialize(name, value)
       @name  = name
       @value = value
-      @status = :info
     end
 
     def [](disambiguate)
@@ -18,15 +15,6 @@ def name
       @name + (defined?(@disambiguate) ? " #{@disambiguate}" : '')
     end
 
-    # might be better to use throw here
-    class Failure < StandardError; end
-
-    def is(expectation)
-      @expectation = expectation
-      @status = (value == expectation) ? :success : :failure
-      raise Failure if failure?
-    end
-
     def success?
       status == :success
     end
@@ -40,4 +28,32 @@ def info?
     end
 
   end
+
+  class Show < Check
+
+    attr_reader :value
+
+    def status
+      :info
+    end
+
+  end
+
+  class Assert < Check
+
+    attr_reader :status
+    
+    # todo remove
+    attr_reader :value
+    
+    # might be better to use throw here
+    class Failure < StandardError; end
+
+    def run
+      @status = !!@value ? :success : :failure
+      raise Failure if failure?
+    end
+
+  end
+
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/environment.rb b/lib/environment.rb
index fd75025..dda6139 100644
--- a/lib/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/environment.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def run(&code)
             [env._status, render_checks(env._checks)]
           end
 
-        rescue Check::Failure => failure
+        rescue Assert::Failure => failure
           [:failure, render_checks(env._checks)]
         rescue Object => error
           [:error, render_error(error)]
@@ -63,15 +63,15 @@ def render_checks(checks)
           out << OrderedHash do |o|
             o['name'] = check.name
             o['status'] = check.status.to_s
-            o['result'] = render_value check.value
+            o['result'] = render_value check.value if check.info?
           end
         end
         if failure
           out << OrderedHash do |o|
             o['name'] = failure.name
             o['status'] = failure.status.to_s
-            o['expected'] = failure.expectation
-            o['actual'] = render_value failure.value
+            # o['expected'] = failure.expectation
+            # o['actual'] = render_value(failure.value)
           end
         end
         out
@@ -101,6 +101,29 @@ def Check(value)
       _checks << check
       check
     end
+    
+    def Show(value)
+      name = extract_argstring_from :Show, caller
+      check = Show.new(name, value)
+      _checks << check
+      check
+    end
+    
+    def Assert(value)
+      name = extract_argstring_from :Assert, caller
+      check = Assert.new(name, value)
+      _checks << check
+      check.run
+      check
+    end
+    
+    def extract_argstring_from name, call_stack
+      file, line_number = call_stack.first.match(/^(.+):(\d+)/).captures
+      line = File.readlines(file)[line_number.to_i - 1].strip
+      argstring = line[/#{name}\((.+?)\)\s*($|#|\[|\})/,1]
+      raise "unable to extract name for #{name} from #{file} line #{line_number}:\n  #{line}" unless argstring
+      argstring
+    end
 
     def _status
       (:success if _checks.all? { |c| c.success? }) ||