diff --git a/examples/pywmdatetime.py b/examples/pywmdatetime.py
index b29b8fd..5d4dc42 100755
--- a/examples/pywmdatetime.py
+++ b/examples/pywmdatetime.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ Available options are:
 -e, --weekformat <format>       set the week format
 -r, --rgbfile <file>            set the rgb file to get color codes from
 -c, --configfile <file>         set the config file to use
+--debug                         shows the pixmap
 
 The formats are the same as Python's strftime() accept. See the sample
 rc-file for more information about this.
@@ -113,7 +114,8 @@ def calculateWeek(localTime):
 def parseCommandLine(argv):
     """Parse the commandline. Return a dictionary with options and values."""
     shorts = 'hf:b:t:d:e:y:r:c:F:a'
-    longs = ['antialiased', 'help', 'foreground=', 'background=', 'timeformat=', 'dateformat=',
+    longs = ['antialiased', 'help', 'foreground=', 'background=',
+             'timeformat=', 'dateformat=', 'debug',
              'weekdayformat=', 'weekformat=', 'rgbfile=', 'configfile=', 'font=']
     try:
         opts, nonOptArgs = getopt.getopt(argv[1:], shorts, longs)
@@ -147,6 +149,8 @@ def parseCommandLine(argv):
             d['rgbfile'] = a
         if o in ('-c', '--configfile'):
             d['configfile'] = a
+        if o in ('--debug'):
+            d['debug'] = True
     return d
 
 def checkForEvents():
@@ -269,12 +273,15 @@ def main():
                       ((3,22),(60,60))]
     else:
         background = [((3,3),(59,60))]
+
+    debug = clConfig.get('debug')
     
     global char_width, char_height, maxCharsPerLine, antialiased
     char_width, char_height = wmdocklib.initPixmap(patterns=patterns,
                                                    font_name=font,
                                                    bg=0, fg=2, palette=palette,
-                                                   background=background)
+                                                   background=background,
+                                                   debug=debug)
     maxCharsPerLine = (width-2*xOffset) / char_width
     antialiased = clConfig.get('antialiased', False)
 
diff --git a/examples/pywmgeneric.py b/examples/pywmgeneric.py
index 41946a8..c81a1e6 100644
--- a/examples/pywmgeneric.py
+++ b/examples/pywmgeneric.py
@@ -513,7 +513,8 @@ class PywmGeneric:
 def parseCommandLine(argv):
     """Parse the commandline. Return a dictionary with options and values."""
     shorts = 'ht:b:r:c:F:'
-    longs = ['help', 'text=', 'background=', 'rgbfile=', 'configfile=', 'font=']
+    longs = ['help', 'text=', 'background=', 'rgbfile=', 'configfile=',
+             'font=', 'debug']
     try:
         opts, nonOptArgs = getopt.getopt(argv[1:], shorts, longs)
     except getopt.GetoptError, e:
@@ -535,6 +536,8 @@ def parseCommandLine(argv):
             d['rgbfile'] = a
         if o in ('-c', '--configfile'):
             d['configfile'] = a
+        if o in ('--debug'):
+            d['debug'] = True
     return d
 
 def readConfigFile(fileName):
@@ -634,21 +637,20 @@ def main():
     clConfig = parseCommandLine(sys.argv)
 
     palette = {
-        ' ': '#208120812081',
-        '.': '#00000000FFFF',
-        'o': '#C71BC30BC71B',
-        'O': '#861782078E38',
-        '+': '#EFBEF3CEEFBE',
-        '@': '#618561856185',
-        '#': '#9E79A2899E79',
-        '$': '#410341034103',
+        '.': '#0000FF',
+        'o': '#C7C3C7',
+        'O': '#86828E',
+        '+': '#EFF3EF',
+        '@': '#616161',
+        '#': '#9EA29E',
+        '$': '#414141',
         }
 
-    palette['o'] = clConfig.get('indicator', '#2020b2b2aaaa')
-    palette['/'] = clConfig.get('graph', '#2020b2b2aaaa')
-    palette['-'] = clConfig.get('graphbg', '#707070707070')
-    palette['_'] = clConfig.get('background', '#FFFFFFFFFFFF')
-    palette['%'] = clConfig.get('text', '#2081B2CAAEBA')
+    palette['o'] = clConfig.get('indicator', '#20b2aa')
+    palette['/'] = clConfig.get('graph', '#20b2aa')
+    palette['-'] = clConfig.get('graphbg', '#707070')
+    palette['_'] = clConfig.get('background', '#FFFFFF')
+    palette['%'] = clConfig.get('text', '#20B2AE')
 
     font = clConfig.get('font', '6x8')
 
diff --git a/examples/pywmhdmon.py b/examples/pywmhdmon.py
index f095411..8c9fdd0 100755
--- a/examples/pywmhdmon.py
+++ b/examples/pywmhdmon.py
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ def parseCommandLine(argv):
     shorts = 'ht:f:g:b:r:c:p:s:F:'
     longs = ['help', 'textcolor=', 'background=', 'barfgcolor=',
              'rgbfile=', 'configfile=', 'barbgcolor=', 'procstat=',
-             'skipconf=','font=']
+             'skipconf=','font=', 'debug']
     try:
         opts, nonOptArgs = getopt.getopt(argv[1:], shorts, longs)
     except getopt.GetoptError, e:
@@ -340,6 +340,8 @@ def parseCommandLine(argv):
             d['procstat'] = a
         if o in ('-s', '--skipconf'):
             d['skipconf'] = a
+        if o in ('--debug'):
+            d['debug'] = True
     return d
 
 def makeNumDigits(num, numDigits):
@@ -420,12 +422,14 @@ def main():
     palette['-'] = 'grey65'
 
     font = clConfig.get('font', '6x8')
+    debug = clConfig.get('debug')
 
     global char_width, char_height
     char_width, char_height = wmdocklib.initPixmap(patterns=patterns,
                                                    font_name=font,
                                                    palette=palette,
-                                                   bg=0, fg=2)
+                                                   margin=3,
+                                                   bg=0, fg=2, debug=debug)
 
     pathsToMonitor = []
     for i in range(1,1000):
diff --git a/website/pictures/hdmon-41.png b/website/pictures/hdmon-41.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a0e9502
Binary files /dev/null and b/website/pictures/hdmon-41.png differ
diff --git a/wmdocklib/5x7.xpm b/wmdocklib/5x7.xpm
index a7ff218..ac8368b 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/5x7.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/5x7.xpm
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 static char *_x_[] = {
 /* columns rows colors chars-per-pixel */
 "128 28 2 1",
-"% c black",
-"  c gray100",
+"  c None",
+"% c gray100",
 /* pixels */
 "       %   % %           %           %    %   %                                   %    %   %%  %%%%   %  %%%%  %%  %%%%  %%     ",
 "       %   % %  % %  %%% %  %  %     %   %     %   % %   %                    %  % %  %%  %  %    %  %%  %    %       % %  %    ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/5x8.xpm b/wmdocklib/5x8.xpm
index a67a14b..098ae91 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/5x8.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/5x8.xpm
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 static char *square_[] = {
 /* columns rows colors chars-per-pixel */
 "128 32 2 1",
-"% c black",
-"  c gray100",
+"  c None",
+"% c gray100",
 /* pixels */
 "      %    % %  % %   %  %  %  %%     %   %  %                                   %%   %    %%   %%    %  %%%%  %%  %%%%  %%     ",
 "      %    % %  % %  %%% %  % %  %   %   %    %   %  %   %                    % %  % %%   %  % %  %  %%  %    %  % %  % %  %    ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/6x12.xpm b/wmdocklib/6x12.xpm
index dd93f0e..ef3e3d6 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/6x12.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/6x12.xpm
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 static char *_x__[] = {
 /* columns rows colors chars-per-pixel */
 "192 36 2 1",
-"% c black",
-"  c gray100",
+"  c None",
+"% c gray100",
 /* pixels */
 "                                                   %   %                                                                                                                                        ",
 "        %    % %          %    %  %         %     %     %     %                               %   %     %    %%%  %%%%%    %  %%%%%  %%%  %%%%%  %%%   %%%                  %       %      %%%  ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/6x8.xpm b/wmdocklib/6x8.xpm
index 267270d..c777296 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/6x8.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/6x8.xpm
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 static char *square_[] = {
 /* columns rows colors chars-per-pixel */
 "128 40 2 1",
-"% c black",
-"  c gray100",
+"  c None",
+"% c gray100",
 /* pixels */
 "        %    %  %  % %    %   %   %  %%       %    %   %                                         %%%    %    %%%   %%%     %    ",
 "        %    %  %  % %   %%%% %   % %  %     %    %     %   %   %   %                           %   %  %%   %   % %   %   %%    ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/6x8orig.xpm b/wmdocklib/6x8orig.xpm
index f40a5d3..bc77cb4 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/6x8orig.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/6x8orig.xpm
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 static char *square_[] = {
 /* columns rows colors chars-per-pixel */
 "128 40 2 1",
-"% c black",
-"  c gray100",
+"  c None",
+"% c gray100",
 /* pixels */
 "         %    % %   % %          % %                                                          %  %%%%%   %   %%%%% %%%%% %   %  ",
 "         %    % %   % %            %                                                          %  %   %  %%       %     % %   %  ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/6x8slant.xpm b/wmdocklib/6x8slant.xpm
index 3b90b91..8b527c4 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/6x8slant.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/6x8slant.xpm
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 static char *square_[] = {
 /* columns rows colors chars-per-pixel */
 "128 40 2 1",
-"% c black",
-"  c gray100",
+"  c None",
+"% c gray100",
 /* pixels */
 "        %    %  %         %   %%   % %        %    %   %      %                                 %%%%%   %   %%%%% %%%%% %   %   ",
 "        %    %  %  % %  %%%%% %%  %%% %      %    %     %   % % %   %                         % %   %  %%   %   % %   % %   %   ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/7x12-41c.xpm b/wmdocklib/7x12-41c.xpm
index 11125f9..7e494ed 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/7x12-41c.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/7x12-41c.xpm
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 static char *_test[] = {
   "106 72 5 1",
   "  c None",
-  ". c grey95",
-  "- c grey65",
-  "o c grey45",
-  "x c black",
+  ". c grey5",
+  "- c grey35",
+  "o c grey65",
+  "x c grey100",
   " ....   .-..   .-..-  .-..- oxxxx- -....  -xxxx-  ....   ....   ....   ....   ....   ....   ....   ....   ....  ",
   ". . .. . x .. . x .x . x .x x x .. x . x. x . x. . x .. . . x. x . .. x x x. . x .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . x. ",
   "... .. ..x .. ..x .x ..x .x x.x .. xx. x. -o. x. . x .. . . x. -o. .. -ox x. . x .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . x. ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/7x8zx.xpm b/wmdocklib/7x8zx.xpm
index 124584b..24435d7 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/7x8zx.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/7x8zx.xpm
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 static char *_x_zx[] = {
 /* columns rows colors chars-per-pixel */
 "128 48 2 1",
-"% c black",
-"  c gray100",
+"  c None",
+"% c gray100",
 /* pixels */
 "                                                                                                                                ",
 "         %     %  %    %%%     %   %%   %   %       %        %  %                                                %%%%    %%     ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/8x12-41c.xpm b/wmdocklib/8x12-41c.xpm
index 6239d43..14cc923 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/8x12-41c.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/8x12-41c.xpm
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 static char *_test[] = {
   "128 72 5 1",
   "  c None",
-  ". c grey95",
-  "- c grey65",
-  "o c grey45",
-  "x c black",
+  ". c grey5",
+  "- c grey35",
+  "o c grey55",
+  "x c grey100",
   " .....   ..-..   ..-..-  ..-..- -xxxxx- -.....  -xxxxx-  .....   .....   .....   .....   .....   .....   .....   .....   .....  ",
   ".. . .. .. x .. .. x .x .. x .x x. x .. xo . x. .x . x. .. x .. .. . x. .x . .. .x x x. .. x .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . x. ",
   ".. . .. .. x .. .. x .x .. x .x x. x .. xx . x. .x . x. .. x .. .. . x. .x . .. .x x x. .. x .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . x. ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/8x8.xpm b/wmdocklib/8x8.xpm
index 6b64493..9fe1ae4 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/8x8.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/8x8.xpm
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 static char *c___low[] = {
 /* columns rows colors chars-per-pixel */
 "128 48 2 1",
-"% c black",
-"  c gray100",
+"  c None",
+"% c gray100",
 /* pixels */
 "           %%    %%  %%  %%  %%    %%    %%   %   %%%%       %%     %%    %%                                                    ",
 "           %%    %%  %%  %%  %%   %%%%%  %%  %%  %%  %%     %%     %%      %%    %%  %%    %%                                 %%",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/8x8zx.xpm b/wmdocklib/8x8zx.xpm
index 5c23eaf..ff957cf 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/8x8zx.xpm
+++ b/wmdocklib/8x8zx.xpm
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 static char *_x_zx[] = {
 /* columns rows colors chars-per-pixel */
 "128 48 2 1",
-"% c black",
-"  c gray100",
+"  c None",
+"% c gray100",
 /* pixels */
 "                                                                                                                                ",
 "          %      %  %     %%%      %    %%   %    %        %         %   %                                                      ",
diff --git a/wmdocklib/pywmhelpers.py b/wmdocklib/pywmhelpers.py
index 1c051de..139f836 100644
--- a/wmdocklib/pywmhelpers.py
+++ b/wmdocklib/pywmhelpers.py
@@ -179,6 +179,9 @@ def initPixmap(background=None,
     The XBM mask is created out of the XPM.
     """
 
+    # initially all characters 32-126 are available...
+    available = dict([(chr(ch), True) for ch in range(32,127)])
+
     # a palette is a dictionary from one single letter to an hexadecimal
     # colour.  per default we offer a 16 colours palette including what I
     # consider the basic colours:
@@ -190,9 +193,12 @@ def initPixmap(background=None,
     alter_palette, palette = palette, {}
     for name, index in zip(basic_colours, range(16)):
         palette['%x'%index] = getColorCode(name)
+        available['%x'%index] = False
+    palette[' '] = 'None'
+    available[' '] = False
+
+    # palette = {' ': None, '0':..., '1':..., ..., 'f':...}
 
-    # palette = {'0':..., '1':..., ..., 'f':...}
-    
     if alter_palette is not None:
         # alter_palette contains 0..15/chr -> 'name'/'#hex'
         # interpret that as chr -> '#hex'
@@ -203,6 +209,7 @@ def initPixmap(background=None,
             if not v.startswith('#'):
                 v = getColorCode(v)
             palette[k] = v
+            available[k] = False
 
     if isinstance(bg, int):
         bg = '%x' % bg
@@ -247,7 +254,7 @@ def initPixmap(background=None,
     pattern_start = height
 
     def readFont(font_name):
-        # read xpm, skip header and color definitions, fill/trim to 48 lines.
+        # read xpm, return cell_size, definition and palette.
         font_palette = {}
         fontdef = readXPM(__file__[:__file__.rfind(os.sep) + 1] + font_name + '.xpm')
         colorCount = int(fontdef[0].split(' ')[2])
@@ -262,10 +269,51 @@ def initPixmap(background=None,
         if not m:
             raise ValueError("can't infer font size from name (does not contain wxh)")
         width, height = [int(item) for item in m.groups()]
+
+        replace = []
+        for code, value in font_palette.items():
+            if not available[code] and palette[code] != font_palette[code]:
+                newcode = [k for k in available if available[k]][0]
+                available[newcode] = False
+                replace.append((code, newcode))
+        for code, newcode in replace:
+            for row, i in zip(fontdef,range(len(fontdef))):
+                fontdef[i] = row.replace(code, newcode)
+            font_palette[newcode] = font_palette[code]
+            del font_palette[code]
         return width, height, fontdef, font_palette
+
+    def calibrateFontPalette(font_palette, fg, bg):
+        """computes modified font_palette
+
+        takes into account only intensity of original value.
+
+        fg, bg must be of the form #xxxxxx
+
+        the corresponding calibrated colour lies at a specific percentage of
+        the vector going from background to foreground."""
+
+        bg_point = [int(bg[i*2+1:i*2+3],16) for i in range(3)]
+        fg_point = [int(fg[i*2+1:i*2+3],16) for i in range(3)]
+
+        fg_vec = [f-b for (f,b) in zip(fg_point,bg_point)]
+
+        new_font_palette = {}
+        for k, colourName in font_palette.items():
+            if colourName == 'None':
+                continue
+            origColour = getColorCode(colourName)[1:]
+            origRgb = [int(origColour[i*2:i*2+2],16)/256. for i in range(3)]
+            intensity = sum(origRgb) / 3
+            newRgb = [i * intensity + base for i,base in zip(fg_vec, bg_point)]
+            new_font_palette[k] = '#'+''.join(["%02x"%i for i in newRgb])
+        
+        return new_font_palette
         
     global char_width, char_height
     char_width, char_height, fontdef, font_palette = readFont(font_name)
+    font_palette = calibrateFontPalette(font_palette, palette[fg], palette[bg])
+    
     palette.update(font_palette)
 
     global charset_start, charset_width
@@ -276,14 +324,18 @@ def initPixmap(background=None,
     xpmheight = len(background)+len(patterns)+len(fontdef)
     
     xpm = [
-        '%s %s %d 1' % (xpmwidth, xpmheight, 1+len(palette)),
-        ] + [
-        ' \tc black'
+        '%s %s %d 1' % (xpmwidth, xpmheight, len(palette)),
         ] + [
         '%s\tc %s' % (k,v)
         for k,v in palette.items()
+        if v == 'None'
         ] + [
-        item+' '*(xpmwidth-len(item)) for item in background + patterns
+        '%s\tc %s' % (k,v)
+        for k,v in palette.items()
+        if v != 'None'
+        ] + [
+        item+' '*(xpmwidth-len(item))
+        for item in background + patterns
         ] + [
         line.replace('%', fg).replace(' ', bg) + ' '*(xpmwidth-len(line))
         for line in fontdef