diff --git a/shared/report.c b/shared/report.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..64a60b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared/report.c
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+/*
+ * REPORTING FUNCTIONS
+ *
+ */
+
+#include <malloc.h>
+#include "report.h"
+
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <syslog.h>
+
+int report_level = RPT_INFO;
+int report_dest = RPT_DEST_STORE;
+
+#define MAX_STORED_MSGS 200
+
+static char *stored_msgs[MAX_STORED_MSGS];
+static int stored_levels[MAX_STORED_MSGS];
+static int num_stored_msgs = 0;
+
+
+// local functions
+static void store_report_message( int level, const char *message );
+static void flush_messages();
+
+void report( const int level, const char *format, .../*args*/ )
+{
+	// Check if we should report it
+	if( level <= report_level || report_dest == RPT_DEST_STORE ) {
+
+	  	char buf[1024];
+
+		// Following functions appear to work on RedHat and Debian
+		// Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris
+
+		va_list ap;
+		va_start(ap, format); /* measure the required size (the number of elements of format) */
+
+     		switch( report_dest ) {
+     		  case RPT_DEST_STDERR:
+			vfprintf( stderr, format, ap );
+			fprintf( stderr, "\n" );
+			break;
+		  case RPT_DEST_SYSLOG:
+			vsyslog( LOG_USER|(level+2), format, ap );
+			break;
+		  case RPT_DEST_STORE:
+		  	vsnprintf( buf, sizeof(buf), format, ap );
+		  	buf[sizeof(buf)-1] = 0; // be sure to have a terminating 0
+		  	store_report_message( level, buf );
+			break;
+		}
+		va_end(ap);
+	}
+}
+
+
+int set_reporting( int new_level, int new_dest )
+{
+	if( new_level < RPT_CRIT || new_level > RPT_DEBUG ) {
+		report( RPT_ERR, "debug level invalid: %d", new_level );
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if( report_dest != RPT_DEST_SYSLOG && new_dest == RPT_DEST_SYSLOG ) {
+		openlog( "LCDd", 0, LOG_USER );
+	}
+	else if( report_dest == RPT_DEST_SYSLOG && new_dest != RPT_DEST_SYSLOG ) {
+		closelog();
+	}
+
+	report_level = new_level;
+	report_dest = new_dest;
+
+	if( report_dest != RPT_DEST_STORE )
+		flush_messages();
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
+static void store_report_message( int level, const char *message )
+{
+	stored_msgs[num_stored_msgs] = malloc(strlen( message )+1);
+	strcpy( stored_msgs[num_stored_msgs], message );
+	stored_levels[num_stored_msgs] = level;
+	num_stored_msgs ++;
+}
+
+
+static void flush_messages()
+{
+	int i;
+	for( i=0; i<num_stored_msgs; i++ ) {
+		report( stored_levels[i], "%s", stored_msgs[i] );
+		free( stored_msgs[i] );
+	}
+	num_stored_msgs = 0;
+}
diff --git a/shared/report.h b/shared/report.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0afe11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared/report.h
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#ifndef DEBUG_H
+#define DEBUG_H
+
+/* DEBUGGING
+To enable the debug() function on all of the software, just type:
+./configure --enable-debug
+and recompile with 'make'
+
+To enable the debug() function only in specific files:
+1) Configure without enabling debug (that is without --enable-debug)
+2) Edit the source file that you want to debug and put this:
+#define DEBUG
+#include "shared/debug.h"
+#undef DEBUG
+Then recompile with 'make'
+This way, the global DEBUG macro is off but is locally enabled in
+certains parts of the software.
+
+The debug levels use the following
+
+  0 RPT_CRIT	Critical conditions: the program stops right after this.
+		Only use this if the program is exited from the current
+		function.
+  1 RPT_ERR	Error conditions: serious problem, program continues.
+		Use just before you return -1 from a function.
+  2 RPT_WARNING	Warning conditions: request user to fix this problem.
+		Ex: What a queer port did you select.
+  3 RPT_NOTICE	Normal but significant condition:
+		Ex: What options have been set.
+  4 RPT_INFO	Informational
+		Ex: What functions have been called.
+  5 RPT_DEBUG	Debug-level messages: further debug messages
+		Ex: what are we going to do in the next few lines of code.
+
+Levels 4 and 5 should be reported using the debug function. The code
+that this function generates will not be in the executable when compiled
+without debugging. This way memory and CPU cycles are saved.
+*/
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+// Reporting levels
+#define RPT_CRIT 0
+#define RPT_ERR 1
+#define RPT_WARNING 2
+#define RPT_NOTICE 3
+#define RPT_INFO 4
+#define RPT_DEBUG 5
+#define RPT_DEST_STDERR 0
+#define RPT_DEST_SYSLOG 1
+#define RPT_DEST_STORE 2
+// Don't just modify these numbers, they're related to syslog.
+
+
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <syslog.h>
+
+extern int report_level;
+extern int report_dest;
+
+int set_reporting( int new_level, int new_dest );
+// Sets reporting level and message destination.
+
+void report( const int level, const char *format, .../*args*/ );
+// Report the message to the selected destination if important enough
+
+// Consider the debug function to be exactly the same as the report function.
+// The only difference is that it is only compiled in if DEBUG is defined.
+
+static inline void dont_report( const int level, const char *format, .../*args*/ )
+{} // The idea is that this gets optimized out
+
+#ifdef DEBUG
+#  define debug report
+#else
+#  define debug dont_report
+#endif /*DEBUG*/
+
+#endif