diff --git a/headers/private/servers/app/Painter.h b/headers/private/servers/app/Painter.h
index 965a4dfe09..9deabe7fcb 100644
--- a/headers/private/servers/app/Painter.h
+++ b/headers/private/servers/app/Painter.h
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ class Painter {
 			void				DetachFromBuffer();
 
 			void				ConstrainClipping(const BRegion& region);
+			const BRegion*		ClippingRegion() const
+									{ return fClippingRegion; }
+
 			void				SetDrawData(const DrawData* data);
 
 								// object settings
diff --git a/headers/private/servers/app/RGBColor.h b/headers/private/servers/app/RGBColor.h
index 577bdba03d..9475e78005 100644
--- a/headers/private/servers/app/RGBColor.h
+++ b/headers/private/servers/app/RGBColor.h
@@ -47,14 +47,14 @@ public:
 	RGBColor(uint16 col);
 	RGBColor(uint8 col);
 	RGBColor(const RGBColor &col);
-	RGBColor(void);
+	RGBColor();
 	
-	void PrintToStream(void) const;
+	void PrintToStream() const;
 	
-	uint8 GetColor8(void);
-	uint16 GetColor15(void);
-	uint16 GetColor16(void);
-	rgb_color GetColor32(void) const;
+	uint8 GetColor8() const;
+	uint16 GetColor15() const;
+	uint16 GetColor16() const;
+	rgb_color GetColor32() const;
 	
 	void SetColor(uint8 r, uint8 g, uint8 b, uint8 a=255);
 	void SetColor(int r, int g, int b, int a=255);
@@ -71,10 +71,14 @@ public:
 	bool operator==(const RGBColor &col);
 protected:
 	rgb_color color32;
-	uint16 color16;
-	uint16 color15;
-	uint8 color8;
-	bool update8,update15,update16;
+
+	// caching
+	mutable uint16 color16;
+	mutable uint16 color15;
+	mutable uint8 color8;
+	mutable bool update8;
+	mutable bool update15;
+	mutable bool update16;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/headers/private/servers/app/ServerConfig.h b/headers/private/servers/app/ServerConfig.h
index 8ef9cd9628..f3e8113b59 100644
--- a/headers/private/servers/app/ServerConfig.h
+++ b/headers/private/servers/app/ServerConfig.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 # define DEFAULT_BOLD_FONT_FAMILY "Bitstream Vera Sans"
 # define FALLBACK_BOLD_FONT_FAMILY "Swis721 BT"
 # define DEFAULT_BOLD_FONT_STYLE "Bold"
-# define DEFAULT_BOLD_FONT_SIZE 12
+# define DEFAULT_BOLD_FONT_SIZE 11
 # define DEFAULT_FIXED_FONT_FAMILY "Bitstream Vera Sans Mono"
 # define FALLBACK_FIXED_FONT_FAMILY "Courier10 BT"
 # define DEFAULT_FIXED_FONT_STYLE "Roman"
diff --git a/src/servers/app/Layer.cpp b/src/servers/app/Layer.cpp
index 2a518972be..96ba6494ba 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/Layer.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/Layer.cpp
@@ -1280,6 +1280,12 @@ Layer::move_layer(float x, float y)
 	BPoint pt(x, y);	
 	BRect rect(fFull.Frame().OffsetByCopy(pt));
 
+if (!fParent) {
+printf("no parent in Layer::move_layer() (%s)\n", GetName());
+fFrameAction = B_LAYER_ACTION_NONE;
+return;
+}
+
 	fParent->StartRebuildRegions(BRegion(rect), this, B_LAYER_MOVE, pt);
 
 	fDriver->CopyRegionList(&fRootLayer->fCopyRegList,
@@ -1291,7 +1297,7 @@ Layer::move_layer(float x, float y)
 	
 	EmptyGlobals();
 
-	fFrameAction = B_LAYER_ACTION_NONE;	
+	fFrameAction = B_LAYER_ACTION_NONE;
 }
 
 // resize_layer
@@ -1305,6 +1311,12 @@ Layer::resize_layer(float x, float y)
 	rect.right += x;
 	rect.bottom += y;
 
+if (!fParent) {
+printf("no parent in Layer::resize_layer() (%s)\n", GetName());
+fFrameAction = B_LAYER_ACTION_NONE;
+return;
+}
+
 	fParent->StartRebuildRegions(BRegion(rect), this, B_LAYER_RESIZE, pt);
 	
 	fDriver->CopyRegionList(&fRootLayer->fCopyRegList, &fRootLayer->fCopyList, fRootLayer->fCopyRegList.CountItems(), &fFullVisible);
diff --git a/src/servers/app/RGBColor.cpp b/src/servers/app/RGBColor.cpp
index 9413373237..098c8c822c 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/RGBColor.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/RGBColor.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ RGBColor::RGBColor(const RGBColor &col)
 /*!
 	\brief Create an RGBColor with the values(0,0,0,0)
 */
-RGBColor::RGBColor(void)
+RGBColor::RGBColor()
 {
 	SetColor(0,0,0,0);
 	update8=update16=false;
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ RGBColor::RGBColor(void)
 	\brief Returns the color as the closest 8-bit color in the palette
 	\return The palette index for the current color
 */
-uint8 RGBColor::GetColor8(void)
+uint8 RGBColor::GetColor8() const
 {
 	if(update8)
 	{
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ uint8 RGBColor::GetColor8(void)
 	\brief Returns the color as the closest 15-bit color
 	\return 15-bit value of the current color plus 1-bit alpha
 */
-uint16 RGBColor::GetColor15(void)
+uint16 RGBColor::GetColor15() const
 {
 	if(update15)
 	{
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ uint16 RGBColor::GetColor15(void)
 	\brief Returns the color as the closest 16-bit color
 	\return 16-bit value of the current color
 */
-uint16 RGBColor::GetColor16(void)
+uint16 RGBColor::GetColor16() const
 {
 	if(update16)
 	{
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ uint16 RGBColor::GetColor16(void)
 	\brief Returns the color as a 32-bit color
 	\return current color, including alpha
 */
-rgb_color RGBColor::GetColor32(void) const
+rgb_color RGBColor::GetColor32() const
 {
 	return color32;
 }
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/AccelerantHWInterface.cpp b/src/servers/app/drawing/AccelerantHWInterface.cpp
index 3bda49c897..ad25500c71 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/AccelerantHWInterface.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/AccelerantHWInterface.cpp
@@ -14,13 +14,7 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-#include <Bitmap.h>
 #include <Cursor.h>
-#include <Locker.h>
-#include <Message.h>
-#include <MessageRunner.h>
-#include <Region.h>
-#include <Screen.h>
 
 #include <Accelerant.h>
 #include <graphic_driver.h>
@@ -30,11 +24,11 @@
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#include "PortLink.h"
+//#include "PortLink.h"
+#include "RGBColor.h"
 #include "ServerConfig.h"
 #include "ServerCursor.h"
 #include "ServerProtocol.h"
-#include "UpdateQueue.h"
 
 #include "AccelerantHWInterface.h"
 #include "AccelerantBuffer.h"
@@ -55,6 +49,7 @@ AccelerantHWInterface::AccelerantHWInterface()
 		fAccelerantImage(-1),
 		fAccelerantHook(NULL),
 		fEngineToken(NULL),
+		fSyncToken(),
 		
 		// required hooks
 		fAccAcquireEngine(NULL),
@@ -89,6 +84,11 @@ AccelerantHWInterface::AccelerantHWInterface()
 	fDisplayMode.virtual_width = 640;
 	fDisplayMode.virtual_height = 480;
 	fDisplayMode.space = B_RGB32;
+
+	// NOTE: I have no clue what I'm doing here.
+//	fSyncToken.counter = 0;
+//	fSyncToken.engine_id = 0;
+	memset(&fSyncToken, 0, sizeof(sync_token));
 }
 
 // destructor
@@ -507,6 +507,104 @@ AccelerantHWInterface::DPMSCapabilities() const
 	return fAccDPMSCapabilities();
 }
 
+// AvailableHardwareAcceleration
+uint32
+AccelerantHWInterface::AvailableHWAcceleration() const
+{
+	uint32 flags = 0;
+
+	if (fAccScreenBlit)
+		flags |= HW_ACC_COPY_REGION;
+//	if (fAccFillRect)
+//		flags |= HW_ACC_FILL_REGION;
+//	if (fAccInvertRect)
+//		flags |= HW_ACC_INVERT_REGION;
+
+	return flags;
+}
+
+// CopyRegion
+void
+AccelerantHWInterface::CopyRegion(const clipping_rect* sortedRectList,
+								  uint32 count, int32 xOffset, int32 yOffset)
+{
+	if (fAccScreenBlit && fAccAcquireEngine) {
+		if (fAccAcquireEngine(B_2D_ACCELERATION, 0, &fSyncToken, &fEngineToken) >= B_OK) {
+
+			// convert the rects
+			blit_params* params = new blit_params[count];
+			for (uint32 i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+				params[i].src_left = (uint16)sortedRectList[i].left;
+				params[i].src_top = (uint16)sortedRectList[i].top;
+
+				params[i].dest_left = (uint16)sortedRectList[i].left + xOffset;
+				params[i].dest_top = (uint16)sortedRectList[i].top + yOffset;
+
+				// NOTE: width and height are expressed as distance, not pixel count!
+				params[i].width = (uint16)(sortedRectList[i].right - sortedRectList[i].left);
+				params[i].height = (uint16)(sortedRectList[i].bottom - sortedRectList[i].top);
+			}
+
+			// go
+			fAccScreenBlit(fEngineToken, params, count);
+
+			// done
+			if (fAccReleaseEngine)
+				fAccReleaseEngine(fEngineToken, &fSyncToken);
+
+			delete[] params;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// FillRegion
+void
+AccelerantHWInterface::FillRegion(/*const*/ BRegion& region, const RGBColor& color)
+{
+	if (fAccFillRect && fAccAcquireEngine) {
+		if (fAccAcquireEngine(B_2D_ACCELERATION, 0, &fSyncToken, &fEngineToken) >= B_OK) {
+
+			// convert the region
+			uint32 count;
+			fill_rect_params* fillParams;
+			_RegionToRectParams(&region, &fillParams, &count);
+
+			// go
+			fAccFillRect(fEngineToken, _NativeColor(color), fillParams, count);
+
+			// done
+			if (fAccReleaseEngine)
+				fAccReleaseEngine(fEngineToken, &fSyncToken);
+
+			delete[] fillParams;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// InvertRegion
+void
+AccelerantHWInterface::InvertRegion(/*const*/ BRegion& region)
+{
+	if (fAccInvertRect && fAccAcquireEngine) {
+		if (fAccAcquireEngine(B_2D_ACCELERATION, 0, &fSyncToken, &fEngineToken) >= B_OK) {
+
+			// convert the region
+			uint32 count;
+			fill_rect_params* fillParams;
+			_RegionToRectParams(&region, &fillParams, &count);
+
+			// go
+			fAccInvertRect(fEngineToken, fillParams, count);
+
+			// done
+			if (fAccReleaseEngine)
+				fAccReleaseEngine(fEngineToken, &fSyncToken);
+
+			delete[] fillParams;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // SetCursor
 void
 AccelerantHWInterface::SetCursor(ServerCursor* cursor)
@@ -575,3 +673,56 @@ AccelerantHWInterface::_DrawCursor(BRect area) const
 	// a hardware cursor for some reason
 }
 
+// _RegionToRectParams
+void
+AccelerantHWInterface::_RegionToRectParams(/*const*/ BRegion* region,
+										   fill_rect_params** params,
+										   uint32* count) const
+{
+	*count = region->CountRects();
+	*params = new fill_rect_params[*count];
+
+	for (uint32 i = 0; i < *count; i++) {
+		clipping_rect r = region->RectAtInt(i);
+		(*params[i]).left = (uint16)r.left;
+		(*params[i]).top = (uint16)r.top;
+		(*params[i]).right = (uint16)r.right;
+		(*params[i]).bottom = (uint16)r.bottom;
+	}
+}
+
+// _NativeColor
+uint32
+AccelerantHWInterface::_NativeColor(const RGBColor& color) const
+{
+	// NOTE: This functions looks somehow suspicios to me.
+	// It assumes that all graphics cards have the same native endianess, no?
+	switch (fDisplayMode.space) {
+		case B_CMAP8:
+		case B_GRAY8:
+			return color.GetColor8();
+
+		case B_RGB15_BIG:
+		case B_RGBA15_BIG:
+		case B_RGB15_LITTLE:
+		case B_RGBA15_LITTLE:
+			return color.GetColor15();
+
+		case B_RGB16_BIG:
+		case B_RGB16_LITTLE:
+			return color.GetColor16();
+
+		case B_RGB32_BIG:
+		case B_RGBA32_BIG:
+		case B_RGB32_LITTLE:
+		case B_RGBA32_LITTLE: {
+			rgb_color c = color.GetColor32();
+			uint32 native = (c.alpha << 24) |
+							(c.red << 16) |
+							(c.green << 8) |
+							(c.blue);
+			return native;
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/AccelerantHWInterface.h b/src/servers/app/drawing/AccelerantHWInterface.h
index b46d1a472b..cde09f5525 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/AccelerantHWInterface.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/AccelerantHWInterface.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 
 class MallocBuffer;
 class AccelerantBuffer;
-class UpdateQueue;
 
 class AccelerantHWInterface : public HWInterface {
 public:
@@ -49,6 +48,16 @@ virtual status_t				SetDPMSMode(const uint32 &state);
 virtual uint32					DPMSMode() const;
 virtual uint32					DPMSCapabilities() const;
 
+	// query for available hardware accleration and perform it
+	virtual	uint32				AvailableHWAcceleration() const;
+
+	virtual	void				CopyRegion(const clipping_rect* sortedRectList,
+										   uint32 count,
+										   int32 xOffset, int32 yOffset);
+	virtual	void				FillRegion(/*const*/ BRegion& region,
+										   const RGBColor& color);
+	virtual	void				InvertRegion(/*const*/ BRegion& region);
+
 	// cursor handling
 virtual	void					SetCursor(ServerCursor* cursor);
 virtual	void					SetCursorVisible(bool visible);
@@ -67,11 +76,16 @@ private:
 		status_t				SetupDefaultHooks();
 		status_t				UpdateModeList();
 		status_t				UpdateFrameBufferConfig();
+		void					_RegionToRectParams(/*const*/ BRegion* region,
+													fill_rect_params** params,
+													uint32* count) const;
+		uint32					_NativeColor(const RGBColor& color) const;
 
 		int						fCardFD;
 		image_id				fAccelerantImage;
 		GetAccelerantHook		fAccelerantHook;
 		engine_token			*fEngineToken;
+		sync_token				fSyncToken;
 		
 		// required hooks - guaranteed to be valid
 		acquire_engine			fAccAcquireEngine;
@@ -107,8 +121,6 @@ private:
 
 
 		display_mode			fDisplayMode;
-
-		UpdateQueue				*fUpdateExecutor;
 };
 
 #endif // ACCELERANT_HW_INTERFACE_H
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/DisplayDriverPainter.cpp b/src/servers/app/drawing/DisplayDriverPainter.cpp
index a22650dbe0..e27c0c5d86 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/DisplayDriverPainter.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/DisplayDriverPainter.cpp
@@ -52,10 +52,11 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::DisplayDriverPainter()
 	: DisplayDriver(),
 	  fPainter(new Painter()),
 #if USE_ACCELERANT
-	  fGraphicsCard(new AccelerantHWInterface())
+	  fGraphicsCard(new AccelerantHWInterface()),
 #else
-	  fGraphicsCard(new ViewHWInterface())
+	  fGraphicsCard(new ViewHWInterface()),
 #endif
+	  fAvailableHWAccleration(0)
 {
 }
 
@@ -72,8 +73,10 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::Initialize()
 	status_t err = fGraphicsCard->Initialize();
 	if (err < B_OK)
 		fprintf(stderr, "HWInterface::Initialize() failed: %s\n", strerror(err));
-	if (err >= B_OK)
+	if (err >= B_OK) {
+		fAvailableHWAccleration = fGraphicsCard->AvailableHWAcceleration();
 		return DisplayDriver::Initialize();
+	}
 	return false;
 }
 
@@ -218,7 +221,7 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::CopyRegion(/*const*/ BRegion* region,
 								 int32 xOffset, int32 yOffset)
 {
 	if (Lock()) {
-		fGraphicsCard->HideSoftwareCursor(fPainter->ClipRect(region->Frame()));
+		fGraphicsCard->HideSoftwareCursor(region->Frame());
 
 		int32 count = region->CountRects();
 
@@ -284,12 +287,30 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::CopyRegion(/*const*/ BRegion* region,
 		// currently on the stack and to which the current rect pointed
 		// to. If their "indegree" count reaches zero, put them onto the
 		// stack as well.
+
+		clipping_rect* sortedRectList = NULL;
+		int32 nextSortedIndex = 0;
+
+		if (fAvailableHWAccleration & HW_ACC_COPY_REGION)
+			sortedRectList = new clipping_rect[count];
+
 		while (!inDegreeZeroNodes.empty()) {
 			node* n = inDegreeZeroNodes.top();
-			 inDegreeZeroNodes.pop();
+			inDegreeZeroNodes.pop();
 
-			BRect touched = _CopyRect(n->rect, xOffset, yOffset);
-			fGraphicsCard->Invalidate(touched);
+			// do the software implementation or add to sorted
+			// rect list for using the HW accelerated version
+			// later
+			if (sortedRectList) {
+				sortedRectList[nextSortedIndex].left	= (int32)n->rect.left;
+				sortedRectList[nextSortedIndex].top		= (int32)n->rect.top;
+				sortedRectList[nextSortedIndex].right	= (int32)n->rect.right;
+				sortedRectList[nextSortedIndex].bottom	= (int32)n->rect.bottom;
+				nextSortedIndex++;
+			} else {
+				BRect touched = _CopyRect(n->rect, xOffset, yOffset);
+				fGraphicsCard->Invalidate(touched);
+			}
 
 			for (int32 k = 0; k < n->next_pointer; k++) {
 				n->pointers[k]->in_degree--;
@@ -297,6 +318,13 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::CopyRegion(/*const*/ BRegion* region,
 					inDegreeZeroNodes.push(n->pointers[k]);
 			}
 		}
+
+		// trigger the HW accelerated version if is was available
+		if (sortedRectList)
+			fGraphicsCard->CopyRegion(sortedRectList, count, xOffset, yOffset);
+
+		delete[] sortedRectList;
+
 		fGraphicsCard->ShowSoftwareCursor();
 
 		Unlock();
@@ -456,7 +484,7 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::FillPolygon(BPoint *ptlist, int32 numpts,
 
 // FillRect
 void
-DisplayDriverPainter::FillRect(const BRect &r, const RGBColor &color)
+DisplayDriverPainter::FillRect(const BRect& r, const RGBColor& color)
 {
 	if (Lock()) {
 		BRect vr(min_c(r.left, r.right),
@@ -467,9 +495,17 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::FillRect(const BRect &r, const RGBColor &color)
 
 		fGraphicsCard->HideSoftwareCursor(vr);
 
-		fPainter->FillRect(vr, color.GetColor32());
+		// try hardware optimized version first
+		if (fAvailableHWAccleration & HW_ACC_FILL_REGION) {
+			BRegion region(vr);
+			region.IntersectWith(fPainter->ClippingRegion());
+			fGraphicsCard->FillRegion(region, color);
+		} else {
+			fPainter->FillRect(vr, color.GetColor32());
+	
+			fGraphicsCard->Invalidate(vr);
+		}
 
-		fGraphicsCard->Invalidate(vr);
 		fGraphicsCard->ShowSoftwareCursor();
 
 		Unlock();
@@ -489,10 +525,32 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::FillRect(const BRect &r, const DrawData *d)
 
 		fGraphicsCard->HideSoftwareCursor(vr);
 
-		fPainter->SetDrawData(d);
-		BRect touched = fPainter->FillRect(vr);
+		bool doInSoftware = true;
+		// try hardware optimized version first
+		if ((fAvailableHWAccleration & HW_ACC_FILL_REGION) &&
+			(d->GetDrawingMode() == B_OP_COPY ||
+			 d->GetDrawingMode() == B_OP_OVER)) {
+
+			if (d->GetPattern() == B_SOLID_HIGH) {
+				BRegion region(vr);
+				region.IntersectWith(fPainter->ClippingRegion());
+				fGraphicsCard->FillRegion(region, d->HighColor());
+				doInSoftware = false;
+			} else if (d->GetPattern() == B_SOLID_LOW) {
+				BRegion region(vr);
+				region.IntersectWith(fPainter->ClippingRegion());
+				fGraphicsCard->FillRegion(region, d->LowColor());
+				doInSoftware = false;
+			}
+		}
+		if (doInSoftware) {
+
+			fPainter->SetDrawData(d);
+			BRect touched = fPainter->FillRect(vr);
+	
+			fGraphicsCard->Invalidate(touched);
+		}
 
-		fGraphicsCard->Invalidate(touched);
 		fGraphicsCard->ShowSoftwareCursor();
 
 		Unlock();
@@ -507,16 +565,34 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::FillRegion(BRegion& r, const DrawData *d)
 
 		fGraphicsCard->HideSoftwareCursor(fPainter->ClipRect(r.Frame()));
 
-		fPainter->SetDrawData(d);
+		bool doInSoftware = true;
+		// try hardware optimized version first
+		if ((fAvailableHWAccleration & HW_ACC_FILL_REGION) &&
+			(d->GetDrawingMode() == B_OP_COPY ||
+			 d->GetDrawingMode() == B_OP_OVER)) {
 
-		BRect touched = fPainter->FillRect(r.RectAt(0));
+			if (d->GetPattern() == B_SOLID_HIGH) {
+				fGraphicsCard->FillRegion(r, d->HighColor());
+				doInSoftware = false;
+			} else if (d->GetPattern() == B_SOLID_LOW) {
+				fGraphicsCard->FillRegion(r, d->LowColor());
+				doInSoftware = false;
+			}
+		}
+		if (doInSoftware) {
 
-		int32 count = r.CountRects();
-		for (int32 i = 1; i < count; i++) {
-			touched = touched | fPainter->FillRect(r.RectAt(i));
+			fPainter->SetDrawData(d);
+	
+			BRect touched = fPainter->FillRect(r.RectAt(0));
+	
+			int32 count = r.CountRects();
+			for (int32 i = 1; i < count; i++) {
+				touched = touched | fPainter->FillRect(r.RectAt(i));
+			}
+	
+			fGraphicsCard->Invalidate(touched);
 		}
 
-		fGraphicsCard->Invalidate(touched);
 		fGraphicsCard->ShowSoftwareCursor();
 
 		Unlock();
@@ -899,11 +975,21 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::DrawString(const char *string, const int32 &length,
 								 const BPoint &pt, DrawData *d)
 {
 	if (Lock()) {
-		fGraphicsCard->HideSoftwareCursor();
+//bigtime_t now = system_time();
+// TODO: BoundingBox is quite slow!! Optimizing it will be beneficial.
+// Cursiously, the actual DrawString after it is actually faster!?!
+// TODO: make the availability of the hardware cursor part of the 
+// HW acceleration flags and skip all calculations for HideSoftwareCursor
+// in case we don't need one.
+		BRect b = fPainter->BoundingBox(string, length, pt);
+//printf("bounding box '%s': %lld µs\n", string, system_time() - now);
+		fGraphicsCard->HideSoftwareCursor(b);
 
 		fPainter->SetDrawData(d);
 
+//now = system_time();
 		BRect touched = fPainter->DrawString(string, length, pt);
+//printf("drawing string: %lld µs\n", system_time() - now);
 
 		fGraphicsCard->Invalidate(touched);
 		fGraphicsCard->ShowSoftwareCursor();
@@ -920,7 +1006,7 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::StringWidth(const char *string, int32 length,
 	float width = 0.0;
 	if (Lock()) {
 		fPainter->SetDrawData(d);
-		BPoint dummy(0.0, 0.0);
+		static BPoint dummy(0.0, 0.0);
 		width = fPainter->BoundingBox(string, length, dummy).Width();
 		Unlock();
 	}
@@ -932,16 +1018,9 @@ float
 DisplayDriverPainter::StringWidth(const char *string, int32 length,
 								  const ServerFont &font)
 {
-	float width = 0.0;
-	if (Lock()) {
-		DrawData d;
-		d.SetFont(font);
-		fPainter->SetDrawData(&d);
-		BPoint dummy(0.0, 0.0);
-		width = fPainter->BoundingBox(string, length, dummy).Width();
-		Unlock();
-	}
-	return width;
+	static DrawData d;
+	d.SetFont(font);
+	return StringWidth(string, length, &d);
 }
 
 // StringHeight
@@ -952,7 +1031,7 @@ DisplayDriverPainter::StringHeight(const char *string, int32 length,
 	float height = 0.0;
 	if (Lock()) {
 		fPainter->SetDrawData(d);
-		BPoint dummy(0.0, 0.0);
+		static BPoint dummy(0.0, 0.0);
 		height = fPainter->BoundingBox(string, length, dummy).Height();
 		Unlock();
 	}
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/DisplayDriverPainter.h b/src/servers/app/drawing/DisplayDriverPainter.h
index 300675c412..ff4490b857 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/DisplayDriverPainter.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/DisplayDriverPainter.h
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ class DisplayDriverPainter : public DisplayDriver {
 
 			Painter*			fPainter;
 			HWInterface*		fGraphicsCard;
+			uint32				fAvailableHWAccleration;
 };
 
 #endif // _DISPLAY_DRIVER_PAINTER_H_
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/HWInterface.cpp b/src/servers/app/drawing/HWInterface.cpp
index 09183c6a58..10ae6a20e7 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/HWInterface.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/HWInterface.cpp
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ HWInterface::_RestoreCursorArea(const BRect& area) const
 
 			uint8* src = fCursorAreaBackup->buffer;
 			if (fCursorAreaBackup->left < left)
-				src += left - fCursorAreaBackup->left;
+				src += (left - fCursorAreaBackup->left) * 4;
 			if (fCursorAreaBackup->top < top)
 				src += (top - fCursorAreaBackup->top) * fCursorAreaBackup->bpr;
 
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/HWInterface.h b/src/servers/app/drawing/HWInterface.h
index 972825a97b..92740504d4 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/HWInterface.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/HWInterface.h
@@ -13,12 +13,19 @@
 #include <GraphicsCard.h>
 #include <Locker.h>
 #include <OS.h>
-#include <Rect.h>
+#include <Region.h>
 
 class RenderingBuffer;
+class RGBColor;
 class ServerCursor;
 class UpdateQueue;
 
+enum {
+	HW_ACC_COPY_REGION					= 0x00000001,
+	HW_ACC_FILL_REGION					= 0x00000002,
+	HW_ACC_INVERT_REGION				= 0x00000004,
+};
+
 class HWInterface : public BLocker {
  public:
 								HWInterface(bool doubleBuffered = false);
@@ -48,6 +55,18 @@ class HWInterface : public BLocker {
 	virtual uint32				DPMSMode() const = 0;
 	virtual uint32				DPMSCapabilities() const = 0;
 
+	// query for available hardware accleration and perform it
+	// (Initialize() must have been called already)
+	virtual	uint32				AvailableHWAcceleration() const
+									{ return 0; }
+
+	virtual	void				CopyRegion(const clipping_rect* sortedRectList,
+										   uint32 count,
+										   int32 xOffset, int32 yOffset) {}
+	virtual	void				FillRegion(/*const*/ BRegion& region,
+										   const RGBColor& color) {}
+	virtual	void				InvertRegion(/*const*/ BRegion& region) {}
+
 	// cursor handling
 	virtual	void				SetCursor(ServerCursor* cursor);
 	virtual	void				SetCursorVisible(bool visible);
@@ -70,10 +89,11 @@ class HWInterface : public BLocker {
 	// TODO: Just a quick and primitive way to get single buffered mode working.
 	// Later, the implementation should be smarter, right now, it will
 	// draw the cursor for almost every drawing operation.
-	// It seems to me, BeOS hides the cursor (in laymans words) before
-	// BView::Draw() is called, then, after all drawing commands that triggered
-	// have been caried out, it shows the cursor again. This approach would
-	// have the adventage of the code not cluttering/slowing down DisplayDriverPainter.
+	// It seems to me BeOS hides the cursor (in laymans words) before
+	// BView::Draw() is called (if the cursor is within that views clipping region),
+	// then, after all drawing commands that triggered have been caried out,
+	// it shows the cursor again. This approach would have the adventage of
+	// the code not cluttering/slowing down DisplayDriverPainter.
 			void				HideSoftwareCursor(const BRect& area);
 			void				HideSoftwareCursor();
 			void				ShowSoftwareCursor();
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/Painter.cpp b/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/Painter.cpp
index e121ef39c8..46fb32d1fd 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/Painter.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/Painter.cpp
@@ -946,7 +946,7 @@ Painter::BoundingBox(const char* utf8String, uint32 length,
 	Transformable transform;
 	transform.TranslateBy(baseLine);
 
-	BRect dummy;
+	static BRect dummy;
 	return fTextRenderer->RenderString(utf8String,
 									   length,
 									   fFontRendererSolid,
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/font_support/AGGTextRenderer.cpp b/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/font_support/AGGTextRenderer.cpp
index e2b8877cc5..14e4def7b2 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/font_support/AGGTextRenderer.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/font_support/AGGTextRenderer.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // AGGTextRenderer.cpp
 
 #include <math.h>
+#include <malloc.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ rect_to_int(BRect r,
 	bottom = (int32)ceilf(r.bottom);
 }
 
+#define DEFAULT_UNI_CODE_BUFFER_SIZE	2048
 
 // constructor
 AGGTextRenderer::AGGTextRenderer()
@@ -51,7 +53,9 @@ AGGTextRenderer::AGGTextRenderer()
 	  fFontEngine(ftlib),
 	  fFontManager(fFontEngine),
 	  fCurves(fFontManager.path_adaptor()),
-	  fContour(fCurves)
+	  fContour(fCurves),
+	  fUnicodeBuffer((char*)malloc(DEFAULT_UNI_CODE_BUFFER_SIZE)),
+	  fUnicodeBufferSize(DEFAULT_UNI_CODE_BUFFER_SIZE)
 {
 	fCurves.approximation_scale(2.0);
 	fContour.auto_detect_orientation(false);
@@ -63,7 +67,9 @@ AGGTextRenderer::AGGTextRenderer(BMessage* archive)
 	  fFontEngine(ftlib),
 	  fFontManager(fFontEngine),
 	  fCurves(fFontManager.path_adaptor()),
-	  fContour(fCurves)
+	  fContour(fCurves),
+	  fUnicodeBuffer((char*)malloc(DEFAULT_UNI_CODE_BUFFER_SIZE)),
+	  fUnicodeBufferSize(DEFAULT_UNI_CODE_BUFFER_SIZE)
 {
 //printf("AGGTextRenderer::AGGTextRenderer(BMessage*)\n");
 	fCurves.approximation_scale(2.0);
@@ -77,7 +83,9 @@ AGGTextRenderer::AGGTextRenderer(const AGGTextRenderer& from)
 	  fFontEngine(ftlib),
 	  fFontManager(fFontEngine),
 	  fCurves(fFontManager.path_adaptor()),
-	  fContour(fCurves)
+	  fContour(fCurves),
+	  fUnicodeBuffer((char*)malloc(DEFAULT_UNI_CODE_BUFFER_SIZE)),
+	  fUnicodeBufferSize(DEFAULT_UNI_CODE_BUFFER_SIZE)
 {
 	fCurves.approximation_scale(2.0);
 	fContour.auto_detect_orientation(false);
@@ -88,6 +96,7 @@ AGGTextRenderer::AGGTextRenderer(const AGGTextRenderer& from)
 AGGTextRenderer::~AGGTextRenderer()
 {
 	Unset();
+	free(fUnicodeBuffer);
 }
 
 // SetTo
@@ -215,18 +224,21 @@ AGGTextRenderer::RenderString(const char* string,
 	int32 srcLength = min_c(length, strlen(string));
 	int32 dstLength = srcLength * 4;
 
-	char* buffer = new char[dstLength];
+	if (dstLength > fUnicodeBufferSize) {
+		fUnicodeBufferSize = dstLength;
+		fUnicodeBuffer = (char*)realloc((void*)fUnicodeBuffer, fUnicodeBufferSize);
+	}
 
 	int32 state = 0;
 	status_t ret;
 	if ((ret = convert_from_utf8(B_UNICODE_CONVERSION, 
 								 string, &srcLength,
-								 buffer, &dstLength,
+								 fUnicodeBuffer, &dstLength,
 								 &state, B_SUBSTITUTE)) >= B_OK
-		&& (ret = swap_data(B_INT16_TYPE, buffer, dstLength,
+		&& (ret = swap_data(B_INT16_TYPE, fUnicodeBuffer, dstLength,
 							B_SWAP_BENDIAN_TO_HOST)) >= B_OK) {
 
-		uint16* p = (uint16*)buffer;
+		uint16* p = (uint16*)fUnicodeBuffer;
 
 		double x  = 0.0;
 		double y0 = 0.0;
@@ -299,7 +311,7 @@ AGGTextRenderer::RenderString(const char* string,
 						case agg::glyph_data_outline:
 							fRasterizer.reset();
 		// NOTE: this function can be easily extended to handle
-		// conversion to contours, to that's why there is a lot of
+		// conversion to contours, so that's why there is a lot of
 		// commented out code, I leave here because I think it
 		// will be needed again.
 		
@@ -341,7 +353,6 @@ AGGTextRenderer::RenderString(const char* string,
 	} else {
 		fprintf(stderr, "UTF8 -> Unicode conversion failed: %s\n", strerror(ret));
 	}
-	delete[] buffer;
 
 //	return transform.TransformBounds(bounds);
 	return bounds;
diff --git a/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/font_support/AGGTextRenderer.h b/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/font_support/AGGTextRenderer.h
index 03d7110dbf..92c1b2795a 100644
--- a/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/font_support/AGGTextRenderer.h
+++ b/src/servers/app/drawing/Painter/font_support/AGGTextRenderer.h
@@ -57,7 +57,10 @@ class AGGTextRenderer : public TextRenderer {
 	conv_font_contour_type		fContour;
 
 	agg::scanline_u8			fScanline;
-	agg::rasterizer_scanline_aa<>	fRasterizer;;
+	agg::rasterizer_scanline_aa<>	fRasterizer;
+
+	char*						fUnicodeBuffer;
+	int32						fUnicodeBufferSize;
 };
 
 #endif // AGG_TEXT_RENDERER_H