--- buffer-old.rb	2010-05-12 00:42:50.501278238 +0300
+++ buffer.rb	2010-05-12 00:42:37.711280439 +0300
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require 'etc'
 require 'thread'
+require 'console/string'
 
 begin
   require 'ncursesw'
@@ -129,10 +130,8 @@
     @w.attrset Colormap.color_for(opts[:color] || :none, opts[:highlight])
     s ||= ""
     maxl = @width - x # maximum display width width
-    stringl = maxl    # string "length"
-    ## the next horribleness is thanks to ruby's lack of widechar support
-    stringl += 1 while stringl < s.length && s[0 ... stringl].display_length < maxl
-    @w.mvaddstr y, x, s[0 ... stringl]
+    s = s.display_slice(0,maxl,"")
+    @w.mvaddstr y, x, s
     unless opts[:no_fill]
       l = s.display_length
       unless l >= maxl