diff --git a/backends/server/.cvsignore b/backends/server/.cvsignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a081b16a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/.cvsignore
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+.deps
+.libs
+Makefile
+Makefile.in
+*.lo
+*.la
+marshal.c
diff --git a/backends/server/ChangeLog b/backends/server/ChangeLog
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b875f1b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/ChangeLog
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+2000-01-01  Martin Baulig  <martin@home-of-linux.org>
+
+	Initial version of the "glibtop-backend-server" backend.
+
+	* command.c, read.c, read_data.c, write.c: New files. Moved here
+	from the `lib' directory.
+
+	* backend-server.c: New file.
+	* glibtop-backend-private.h: New file.
+
+	* marshal.pl: New file. Automatically creates `marshal.c'.
+
diff --git a/backends/server/Makefile.am b/backends/server/Makefile.am
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5781eb14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/Makefile.am
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+LINK		= $(LIBTOOL) --mode=link $(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@
+
+INCLUDES	= @INCLUDES@
+
+noinst_HEADERS = \
+	glibtop-backend-private.h
+
+lib_LTLIBRARIES = \
+	libgtop_backend_server.la
+
+libgtop_backend_server_la_SOURCES = \
+	backend-server.c		\
+	marshal.c			\
+	command.c			\
+	read.c				\
+	read_data.c			\
+	write.c
+
+libgtop_backend_server_la_LDFLAGS = \
+	$(LT_VERSION_INFO)
+
+BUILT_SOURCES = \
+	marshal.c
+
+CLEANFILES = $(BUILT_SOURCES)
+
+marshal.c: marshal.pl $(top_builddir)/config.h $(top_srcdir)/features.def $(top_srcdir)/scripts/c_types.pl
+	$(PERL) -I $(top_srcdir)/scripts $(srcdir)/marshal.pl < $(top_srcdir)/features.def > tmp-t
+	mv tmp-t marshal.c
+
diff --git a/backends/server/backend-server.c b/backends/server/backend-server.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..addf427c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/backend-server.c
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; tab-width: 8; indent-tabs-mode: t; c-basic-offset: 4 -*- */
+
+/* $Id$ */
+
+/* Copyright (C) 1998-99 Martin Baulig
+   This file is part of LibGTop 1.0.
+
+   Contributed by Martin Baulig <martin@home-of-linux.org>, April 1998.
+
+   LibGTop is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License,
+   or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   LibGTop is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+   ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+   FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+   for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with LibGTop; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the
+   Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+   Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+*/
+
+#include <glibtop.h>
+#include <glibtop/global.h>
+#include <glibtop/xmalloc.h>
+
+#include <glibtop/backend.h>
+#include <glibtop-backend-private.h>
+
+static int
+_open_server (glibtop *, glibtop_backend *, u_int64_t, const char **);
+
+static int
+_close_server (glibtop *, glibtop_backend *);
+
+extern glibtop_call_vector glibtop_backend_server_call_vector;
+
+glibtop_backend_info glibtop_backend_server = {
+    "glibtop-backend-server", _open_server, _close_server,
+    &glibtop_backend_server_call_vector
+};
+
+static int
+_open_server (glibtop *server, glibtop_backend *backend,
+	      u_int64_t features, const char **backend_args)
+{
+    backend->_priv = glibtop_calloc_r
+	(server, 1, sizeof (glibtop_backend_private));
+
+    fprintf (stderr, "open_server - %p, %p, %p\n", server, backend,
+	     backend->_priv);
+
+    fprintf (stderr, "Opening pipe to server (%s).\n",
+	     LIBGTOP_SERVER);
+
+    if (pipe (backend->_priv->input) ||
+	pipe (backend->_priv->output)) {
+	glibtop_warn_io_r (server, "cannot make a pipe");
+	return -1;
+    }
+
+    backend->_priv->pid  = fork ();
+
+    if (backend->_priv->pid < 0) {
+	glibtop_warn_io_r (server, "fork failed");
+	return -1;
+    } else if (backend->_priv->pid == 0) {
+	close (0); close (1);
+	close (backend->_priv->input [0]);
+	close (backend->_priv->output [1]);
+	dup2 (backend->_priv->input [1], 1);
+	dup2 (backend->_priv->output [0], 0);
+	execl (LIBGTOP_SERVER, "libgtop-server", NULL);
+	glibtop_error_io_r (server, "execl (%s)",
+			    LIBGTOP_SERVER);
+	_exit (2);
+    }
+
+    close (backend->_priv->input [1]);
+    close (backend->_priv->output [0]);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+_close_server (glibtop *server, glibtop_backend *backend)
+{
+    kill (backend->_priv->pid, SIGKILL);
+    close (backend->_priv->input [0]);
+    close (backend->_priv->output [1]);
+
+    backend->_priv->pid = 0;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/backends/server/command.c b/backends/server/command.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5bbdc75f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/command.c
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; tab-width: 8; indent-tabs-mode: t; c-basic-offset: 4 -*- */
+
+/* $Id$ */
+
+/* Copyright (C) 1998-99 Martin Baulig
+   This file is part of LibGTop 1.0.
+
+   Contributed by Martin Baulig <martin@home-of-linux.org>, April 1998.
+
+   LibGTop is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License,
+   or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   LibGTop is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+   ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+   FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+   for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with LibGTop; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the
+   Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+   Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+*/
+
+#include <glibtop/read.h>
+#include <glibtop/write.h>
+#include <glibtop/read_data.h>
+
+#include <glibtop/command.h>
+#include <glibtop/xmalloc.h>
+
+void *
+glibtop_call_l (glibtop *server, unsigned command, size_t send_size,
+		const void *send_buf, size_t recv_size, void *recv_buf,
+		int *retval_ptr)
+{
+    glibtop_command cmnd;
+    glibtop_response response;
+    int retval;
+
+    glibtop_init_r (&server, 0, 0);
+
+    memset (&cmnd, 0, sizeof (glibtop_command));
+
+    cmnd.command = command;
+
+    /* If send_size is less than _GLIBTOP_PARAM_SIZE (normally 16 Bytes), we
+     * send it together with command, so we only need one system call instead
+     * of two. */
+
+    if (send_size <= _GLIBTOP_PARAM_SIZE) {
+	memcpy (cmnd.parameter, send_buf, send_size);
+	cmnd.size = send_size;
+    } else {
+	cmnd.data_size = send_size;
+    }
+	
+    glibtop_write_l (server, sizeof (glibtop_command), &cmnd);
+
+    glibtop_read_l (server, sizeof (glibtop_response), &response);
+
+#ifdef DEBUG
+    fprintf (stderr, "RESPONSE: %lu - %d\n",
+	     response.offset, response.data_size);
+#endif
+
+    glibtop_read_l (server, sizeof (int), &retval);
+    if (retval_ptr)
+	*retval_ptr = retval;
+
+    if (recv_buf)
+	memcpy (recv_buf, ((char *) &response) + response.offset,
+		recv_size);
+
+    if (response.data_size) {
+	void *ptr = glibtop_malloc_r (server, response.data_size);
+
+	glibtop_read_l (server, response.data_size, ptr);
+
+	return ptr;
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
diff --git a/backends/server/glibtop-backend-private.h b/backends/server/glibtop-backend-private.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1861a456
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/glibtop-backend-private.h
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; tab-width: 8; indent-tabs-mode: t; c-basic-offset: 4 -*- */
+
+/* $Id$ */
+
+/* Copyright (C) 1998-99 Martin Baulig
+   This file is part of LibGTop 1.0.
+
+   Contributed by Martin Baulig <martin@home-of-linux.org>, April 1998.
+
+   LibGTop is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License,
+   or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   LibGTop is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+   ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+   FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+   for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with LibGTop; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the
+   Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+   Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+*/
+
+#ifndef __GLIBTOP_BACKEND_PRIVATE_H__
+#define __GLIBTOP_BACKEND_PRIVATE_H__
+
+struct _glibtop_backend_private
+{
+    u_int64_t flags;
+    int input [2];		/* Pipe client <- server */
+    int output [2];		/* Pipe client -> server */
+    pid_t pid;			/* PID of the server */
+};
+
+void
+glibtop_read_i (glibtop *server, glibtop_backend *backend,
+		size_t size, void *buf);
+
+void *
+glibtop_read_data_i (glibtop *server, glibtop_backend *backend);
+
+void
+glibtop_write_i (glibtop *server, glibtop_backend *backend,
+		 size_t size, void *buf);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/backends/server/marshal.pl b/backends/server/marshal.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ada7e320
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/marshal.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,250 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+
+require 'c_types.pl';
+
+$[ = 1;			# set array base to 1
+$, = ' ';		# set output field separator
+$\ = "\n";		# set output record separator
+
+$always_use_temp_storage = 1;
+
+sub toupper {
+    local($_) = @_;
+    tr/a-z/A-Z/;
+    return $_;
+}
+
+sub tolower {
+    local($_) = @_;
+    tr/A-Z/a-z/;
+    return $_;
+}
+
+print '/* marshal.c */';
+print "/* This is a generated file.  Please modify `marshal.pl' */";
+print '';
+
+print '#include <glibtop.h>';
+print '#include <glibtop/open.h>';
+print '#include <glibtop/xmalloc.h>';
+print '';
+print '#include <glibtop/sysdeps.h>';
+print '#include <glibtop/union.h>';
+print '';
+print '#include <glibtop/command.h>';
+print '#include <glibtop/backend.h>';
+print '';
+
+$feature_count = 0;
+
+while (<>) {
+    chop;	# strip record separator
+
+    if (/^[^#]/) {
+	&output($_);
+    }
+}
+
+sub output {
+    local($line) = @_;
+    @line_fields = split(/\|/, $line, 9999);
+    $retval = $line_fields[1];
+    $feature = $line_fields[2];
+    $param_def = $line_fields[4];
+
+    $orig = $feature;
+    $feature =~ s/^@//;
+    $space = $feature;
+    $space =~ s/./ /g;
+
+    $features{++$feature_count} = $feature;
+
+    if ($retval eq 'retval') {
+      $retval_param = '&retval';
+      $call_prefix = '';
+      $call_prefix_space = '';
+      $prefix = 'retval = ';
+      $prefix_space = '         ';
+      $retval = 'int';
+    }
+    elsif ($retval !~ /^void$/) {
+      $retval_param = 'NULL';
+      $prefix = 'retval = ';
+      $prefix_space = '         ';
+      $call_prefix = 'retval = ';
+      $call_prefix_space = '         ';
+    }
+    else {
+      $retval_param = 'NULL';
+      $call_prefix = '';
+      $call_prefix_space = '';
+      $prefix = '';
+      $prefix_space = '';
+    }
+
+    if ($retval =~ /^(array|pointer)\((.*)\)$/) {
+      $retval = ($2 eq 'string') ? 'char **' : "$2 *";
+    }
+
+    $need_temp_storage = $always_use_temp_storage;
+    $size_code = "\t_LIBGTOP_SEND_len = 0;\n";
+    $marshal_code = "\t_LIBGTOP_SEND_offset = 0;\n";
+    $marshal_code .= "\tmemset (_LIBGTOP_SEND_buf, 0, _LIBGTOP_SEND_len);\n";
+    $first_param_name = '';
+
+    $call_param = '';
+    $param_decl = '';
+    $need_temp_len = 0;
+    $nr_params = (@params = split(/:/, $param_def, 9999));
+    for ($param = 1; $param <= $nr_params; $param++) {
+      $list = $params[$param];
+      $type = $params[$param];
+      $type =~ s/\(.*//;
+      $list =~ s/^.*\(//;
+      $list =~ s/\)$//;
+      $count = (@fields = split(/,/, $list, 9999));
+      for ($field = 1; $field <= $count; $field++) {
+	my $c_type = $typeinfo->{$type}->[1];
+
+	if ($first_param_name eq '') {
+	  $first_param_name = $fields[$field];
+	}
+
+	if ($typeinfo->{$type}->[2]) {
+	  $need_temp_storage = 1;
+	}
+
+	if ($param_decl eq '') {
+	  $param_decl = ",\n            " . $space . '    ';
+	}
+	else {
+	  $param_decl = $param_decl . ', ';
+	}
+	$param_decl = $param_decl . $c_type . ' ' . $fields[$field];
+	$call_param = $call_param . ', ' . $fields[$field];
+
+	$size_code .= "\t_LIBGTOP_SEND_len += ";
+	if (defined $sizeof_funcs->{$type}) {
+	  $size_code .= $sizeof_funcs->{$type}->($fields[$field]);
+	} else {
+	  $size_code .= sprintf ("sizeof (%s)", $c_type);
+	}
+	$size_code .= ";\n";
+
+	$marshal_code .= "\t_LIBGTOP_SEND_ptr = ".
+	  "(char *) _LIBGTOP_SEND_buf + _LIBGTOP_SEND_offset;\n";
+
+	if (defined $marshal_funcs->{$type}) {
+	  $marshal_code .= $marshal_funcs->{$type}->($c_type, $fields[$field], "\t");
+	} else {
+	  $marshal_code .= sprintf ("\tmemcpy (_LIBGTOP_SEND_ptr, %s, %s);\n",
+				    '&'.$fields[$field], "sizeof ($c_type)");
+	}
+
+	$marshal_code .= "\t_LIBGTOP_SEND_offset += ";
+	if (defined $sizeof_funcs->{$type}) {
+	  $marshal_code .= $sizeof_funcs->{$type}->($fields[$field]);
+	} else {
+	  $marshal_code .= sprintf ("sizeof (%s)", $c_type);
+	}
+	$marshal_code .= ";\n";
+      }
+    }
+
+    $local_var_code = "";
+    $local_var_code .= "\tunsigned _LIBGTOP_SEND_offset, _LIBGTOP_SEND_len;\n";
+    if ($need_temp_len) {
+      $local_var_code .= "\tunsigned _LIBGTOP_SEND_temp_len;\n";
+    }
+    $local_var_code .= "\tvoid *_LIBGTOP_SEND_buf;\n";
+    $local_var_code .= "\tchar *_LIBGTOP_SEND_ptr;\n";
+    if ($retval !~ /^void$/) {
+      $local_var_code .= sprintf ("\t%s retval = (%s) 0;\n",
+				  $retval, $retval);
+    }
+
+    $total_code = '';
+
+    $send_buf_code = "\t_LIBGTOP_SEND_buf = ";
+    if ($need_temp_storage) {
+      $send_buf_code .= "glibtop_malloc_r (server, _LIBGTOP_SEND_len+1)";
+    } else {
+      $send_buf_code .= '(void *) &'.$first_param_name;
+    }
+    $send_buf_code .= ";\n";
+
+    $call_code = '';
+    $call_code .= sprintf ("\t%sglibtop_call_l (server, GLIBTOP_CMND_%s,\n",
+			   $call_prefix, &toupper($feature));
+    $call_code .= sprintf ("\t\t\t%s%s, %s,\n", $call_prefix_space,
+			   "_LIBGTOP_SEND_len", "_LIBGTOP_SEND_ptr");
+    if ($line_fields[3] eq '') {
+      $call_code .= sprintf ("\t\t\t%s0, NULL,\n", $call_prefix_space);
+    } elsif ($line_fields[3] eq  'array') {
+      $call_code .= sprintf ("\t\t\t%ssizeof (glibtop_array), array,\n",
+			     $call_prefix_space);
+    } else {
+      $call_code .= sprintf ("\t\t\t%ssizeof (glibtop_%s), buf,\n",
+			     $call_prefix_space, $feature);
+    }
+    $call_code .= sprintf ("\t\t\t%s%s);\n", $call_prefix_space, $retval_param);
+
+    if ($need_temp_storage) {
+      $send_buf_free_code = "\tglibtop_free_r (server, _LIBGTOP_SEND_buf);\n";
+    } else {
+      $send_buf_free_code = "";
+    }
+
+    $total_code .= sprintf ("%s\n%s\n%s\n%s\n%s\n",
+			    $size_code, $send_buf_code, $marshal_code,
+			    $call_code, $send_buf_free_code);
+
+    $return_code = '';
+    if ($retval !~ /^void$/) {
+      $return_code .= "\treturn retval;\n";
+    } else {
+      $return_code .= "\treturn;\n";
+    }
+
+    $total_code .= $return_code;
+
+    $func_decl = 'static '.$retval."\n";
+    if ($line_fields[3] eq '') {
+      $func_decl .= sprintf ("_glibtop_get_%s_c (glibtop *server%s)\n",
+			     $feature, $param_decl);
+    } elsif ($line_fields[3] eq 'array') {
+      $func_decl .= sprintf ("_glibtop_get_%s_c (glibtop *server, glibtop_array *array%s)\n",
+			     $feature, $param_decl);
+    } elsif ($line_fields[3] =~ /^array/) {
+      $func_decl .= sprintf ("_glibtop_get_%s_c (glibtop *server, glibtop_array *array, %s *buf%s)\n",
+			     $feature, 'glibtop_'.$feature, $param_decl);
+    } else {
+      $func_decl .= sprintf ("_glibtop_get_%s_c (glibtop *server, %s *buf%s)\n",
+			     $feature, 'glibtop_'.$feature, $param_decl);
+    }
+
+    $total_code = sprintf ("%s{\n%s\n%s\n%s}\n", $func_decl,
+			   $local_var_code, $total_code);
+
+
+    $total_code = sprintf ("#if GLIBTOP_SUID_%s\n\n%s\n#endif /* GLIBTOP_SUID_%s */\n\n",
+			   &toupper($feature), $total_code,
+			   &toupper($feature));
+
+    print $total_code;
+}
+
+$call_vector_code = '';
+for ($nr = 1; $nr <= $feature_count; $nr++) {
+  $feature = $features{$nr};
+
+  $call_vector_code .= sprintf
+    (qq[\#if GLIBTOP_SUID_%s\n\t_glibtop_get_%s_c,\n\#else\n\tNULL,\n\#endif\n],
+     &toupper($feature), $feature);
+}
+
+print 'glibtop_call_vector glibtop_backend_server_call_vector = {';
+print $call_vector_code;
+print '};';
+print '';
+
diff --git a/backends/server/read.c b/backends/server/read.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..44c9a406
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/read.c
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; tab-width: 8; indent-tabs-mode: t; c-basic-offset: 4 -*- */
+
+/* $Id$ */
+
+/* Copyright (C) 1998-99 Martin Baulig
+   This file is part of LibGTop 1.0.
+
+   Contributed by Martin Baulig <martin@home-of-linux.org>, April 1998.
+
+   LibGTop is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License,
+   or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   LibGTop is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+   ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+   FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+   for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with LibGTop; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the
+   Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+   Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+*/
+
+#include <glibtop.h>
+#include <glibtop/error.h>
+#include <glibtop/backend.h>
+
+#include <glibtop-backend-private.h>
+
+#ifndef DEBUG
+#define DEBUG 1
+#endif
+
+void
+glibtop_read_i (glibtop *server, glibtop_backend *backend,
+		size_t size, void *buf)
+{
+    int ret = 0;
+
+    glibtop_init_r (&server, 0, 0);
+
+#ifdef DEBUG
+    fprintf (stderr, "LIBRARY: really reading %d bytes.\n", size);
+#endif
+
+    ret = read (backend->_priv->input [0], buf, size);
+
+    if (ret < 0)
+	glibtop_error_io_r (server, _("read %d bytes"), size);
+}
diff --git a/backends/server/read_data.c b/backends/server/read_data.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2807ff17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/read_data.c
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; tab-width: 8; indent-tabs-mode: t; c-basic-offset: 4 -*- */
+
+/* $Id$ */
+
+/* Copyright (C) 1998-99 Martin Baulig
+   This file is part of LibGTop 1.0.
+
+   Contributed by Martin Baulig <martin@home-of-linux.org>, April 1998.
+
+   LibGTop is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License,
+   or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   LibGTop is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+   ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+   FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+   for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with LibGTop; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the
+   Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+   Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+*/
+
+#include <glibtop.h>
+#include <glibtop/error.h>
+#include <glibtop/xmalloc.h>
+#include <glibtop/backend.h>
+
+#include <glibtop-backend-private.h>
+
+#ifndef DEBUG
+#define DEBUG 1
+#endif
+
+void *
+glibtop_read_data_i (glibtop *server, glibtop_backend *backend)
+{
+    size_t size;
+    void *ptr;
+    int ret;
+
+#ifdef DEBUG
+    fprintf (stderr, "LIBRARY: reading %d data bytes.\n", sizeof (size_t));
+#endif
+
+    ret = read (backend->_priv->input [0], (void *)&size,
+		sizeof (size_t));
+
+    if (ret < 0)
+	glibtop_error_io_r (server, _("read data size"));
+
+#ifdef DEBUG
+    fprintf (stderr, "LIBRARY: really reading %d data bytes (ret = %d).\n", size, ret);
+#endif
+
+    if (!size) return NULL;	
+
+    ptr = glibtop_malloc_r (server, size);
+	
+    ret = read (backend->_priv->input [0], ptr, size);
+
+    if (ret < 0)
+	glibtop_error_io_r (server, _("read data %d bytes"));
+
+    return ptr;
+}
diff --git a/backends/server/write.c b/backends/server/write.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..653d5a55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backends/server/write.c
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; tab-width: 8; indent-tabs-mode: t; c-basic-offset: 4 -*- */
+
+/* $Id$ */
+
+/* Copyright (C) 1998-99 Martin Baulig
+   This file is part of LibGTop 1.0.
+
+   Contributed by Martin Baulig <martin@home-of-linux.org>, April 1998.
+
+   LibGTop is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License,
+   or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   LibGTop is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+   ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+   FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+   for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with LibGTop; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the
+   Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330,
+   Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
+*/
+
+#include <glibtop.h>
+#include <glibtop/error.h>
+#include <glibtop/backend.h>
+
+#include <glibtop-backend-private.h>
+
+#ifndef DEBUG
+#define DEBUG 1
+#endif
+
+void
+glibtop_write_i (glibtop *server, glibtop_backend *backend,
+		 size_t size, void *buf)
+{
+    int ret;
+
+    if (size == 0) return;
+
+#ifdef DEBUG
+    fprintf (stderr, "LIBRARY: really writing %d bytes.\n", size);
+#endif
+
+    ret = write (backend->_priv->output [1], buf, size);
+
+    if (ret < 0)
+	glibtop_error_io_r (server, _("write %d bytes"), size);
+}