diff --git a/config.lua b/config.lua
index 40ef23f..84f7b42 100644
--- a/config.lua
+++ b/config.lua
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ return {
     monitor_scale = 1.0,
     step_sleep_time = 0.5,
     round_sleep_time = 60.0,
-    initial_tab = 1,
+    initial_tab = "requests",
 }
diff --git a/orders.lua b/orders.lua
index 834213b..6bdc333 100644
--- a/orders.lua
+++ b/orders.lua
@@ -31,55 +31,55 @@ local function fetch(wait_for)
 end
 
 
-local function display(page_start_idx)
-    local tw,th = term.getSize()
+local function displayTab(self)
+    local tw,th = self.window.getSize()
     for i, val in pairs(orders) do
-        local line_num = (i-page_start_idx)*2+3
+        local line_num = (i-self.scrollPos)*2+1
         if line_num > 2 and line_num < th-1 then
-            term.setTextColor(colors.lightGray)
-            term.setCursorPos(1,line_num)
-            term.write(val.id)
-            term.write("  ")
+            self.window.setTextColor(colors.lightGray)
+            self.window.setCursorPos(1,line_num)
+            self.window.write(val.id)
+            self.window.write("  ")
             if val.pos then
-                term.write(val.pos.x .. "," .. val.pos.y .. "," .. val.pos.z)
-                term.write(" ")
+                self.window.write(val.pos.x .. "," .. val.pos.y .. "," .. val.pos.z)
+                self.window.write(" ")
             end
-            term.setCursorPos(2,line_num+1)
-            term.setTextColor(colors.white)
+            self.window.setCursorPos(2,line_num+1)
+            self.window.setTextColor(colors.white)
             if val.type then
-                term.write(val.type)
-                term.write(" ")
+                self.window.write(val.type)
+                self.window.write(" ")
             end
             if val.target then
-                term.write(val.target)
-                term.write(" ")
+                self.window.write(val.target)
+                self.window.write(" ")
             end
             if val.res_status then
-                term.setCursorPos(tw-2-#val.res_status, line_num)
-                term.write(val.res_status)
+                self.window.setCursorPos(tw-2-#val.res_status, line_num)
+                self.window.write(val.res_status)
             else
-                term.setCursorPos(tw-2, line_num)
+                self.window.setCursorPos(tw-2, line_num)
             end
-            term.write(" ")
+            self.window.write(" ")
             if val.claimed then
-                term.setTextColor(colors.yellow)
-                term.write("C")
-                term.setTextColor(colors.white)
+                self.window.setTextColor(colors.yellow)
+                self.window.write("C")
+                self.window.setTextColor(colors.white)
             else
-                term.write(" ")
+                self.window.write(" ")
             end
-            term.write(" ")
+            self.window.write(" ")
         end
     end
 end
 
-local function on_touch(touch_x, touch_y)
+local function onTouch(self, touch_x, touch_y)
     return false
 end
 
 return {
     name="orders",
     fetch=fetch,
-    display=display,
-    on_touch=on_touch,
+    displayTab=displayTab,
+    onTouch=onTouch,
 }
diff --git a/requests.lua b/requests.lua
index 5a06200..7c17a86 100644
--- a/requests.lua
+++ b/requests.lua
@@ -46,45 +46,45 @@ local function fetch(wait_for)
     end
 end
 
-local function display(page_start_idx)
-    local tw,th = term.getSize()
+local function displayTab(self)
+    local tw,th = self.window.getSize()
     display_list = {}
     for i, val in pairs(requests) do
-        local line_num = i-page_start_idx+3
+        local line_num = i-self.scrollPos+1
         if line_num > 2 and line_num < th then
-            term.setTextColor(colors.white)
-            term.setCursorPos(1,line_num)
-            term.write(val.req.name)
-            term.write("  ")
+            self.window.setTextColor(colors.white)
+            self.window.setCursorPos(1,line_num)
+            self.window.write(val.req.name)
+            self.window.write("  ")
             if val.answer == nil then
-                term.setTextColor(colors.orange)
-                term.write("N/A")
+                self.window.setTextColor(colors.orange)
+                self.window.write("N/A")
             else
                 if permset.has(allowed_items, val.answer.name) then
-                    term.setTextColor(colors.green)
+                    self.window.setTextColor(colors.green)
                 else
-                    term.setTextColor(colors.yellow)
+                    self.window.setTextColor(colors.yellow)
                 end
-                term.write(val.answer.name)
+                self.window.write(val.answer.name)
                 display_list[line_num] = val.answer.name
-                term.setTextColor(colors.white)
-                term.setCursorPos(tw-4,line_num)
-                term.write(" [")
+                self.window.setTextColor(colors.white)
+                self.window.setCursorPos(tw-4,line_num)
+                self.window.write(" [")
                 if permset.has(allowed_items, val.answer.name) then
-                    term.setTextColor(colors.green)
-                    term.write("X")
-                    term.setTextColor(colors.white)
+                    self.window.setTextColor(colors.green)
+                    self.window.write("X")
+                    self.window.setTextColor(colors.white)
                 else
-                    term.write(" ")
+                    self.window.write(" ")
                 end
-                term.write("] ")
+                self.window.write("] ")
             end
         end
     end
 end
 
-local function on_touch(touch_x, touch_y)
-    local tw,th = term.getSize()
+local function onTouch(self, touch_x, touch_y)
+    local tw, th = self.window.getSize()
     if touch_x > tw-5 and display_list[touch_y] ~= nil then
         local item_name = display_list[touch_y]
         if permset.has(allowed_items, item_name) then
@@ -100,6 +100,6 @@ end
 return {
     name="requests",
     fetch=fetch,
-    display=display,
-    on_touch=on_touch,
+    displayTab=displayTab,
+    onTouch=onTouch,
 }
diff --git a/tabview.lua b/tabview.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4828c56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tabview.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+local parent = term.current()
+local allTabs = {}
+local tabOrder = {}
+local currentTab = nil
+
+local function setTerm(new_term)
+    parent = new_term
+end
+
+local function addTab(tab, order_idx)
+    assert(tab.name, "tab needs a unique name")
+    local isCurrentTab = currentTab == nil
+    if isCurrentTab then
+        currentTab = tab
+    end
+    local tw, th = parent.getSize()
+    tab.window = window.create(parent, 1, 1, tw, th, isCurrentTab)
+    tab.scrollPos = 1
+    tab.pageDown = function ()
+        local tw, th = tab.window.getSize()
+        tab.scrollPos = tab.scrollPos + th
+    end
+    tab.pageUp = function ()
+        local tw, th = tab.window.getSize()
+        tab.scrollPos = math.max(1, tab.scrollPos-th)
+    end
+    allTabs[tab.name] = tab
+    tabOrder[order_idx] = tab.name
+    return tab
+end
+
+local function showTab(name)
+    if currentTab ~= nil then
+        currentTab.window.setVisible(false)
+    end
+    currentTab = allTabs[name]
+    if currentTab == nil then
+        -- backwards compatible idx lookup
+        currentTab = allTabs[tabOrder[name]]
+    end
+    assert(currentTab ~= nil, "tab name '" .. name .. "' was not registered")
+    currentTab.window.setVisible(true)
+end
+
+local function switchTab()
+    assert(#allTabs > 0, "tabs need to be registered in order to switch tabs")
+    local idx = 0
+    if currentTab ~= nil then
+        currentTab.window.setVisible(false)
+        idx = tabOrder[currentTab.name]
+    end
+    idx = idx + 1
+    if idx > #allTabs then
+        idx = 1
+    end
+    currentTab = allTabs[tabOrder[idx]]
+    currentTab.window.setVisible(true)
+end
+
+local function getCurrentTab()
+    return currentTab
+end
+
+local function getAllTabs()
+    return allTabs
+end
+
+local function updateSize()
+    local tw, th = parent.getSize()
+    for name, tab in pairs(allTabs) do
+        tab.window.reposition(1, 1, tw, th)
+    end
+end
+
+local function onTouch(touch_x, touch_y)
+    if currentTab ~= nil then
+        currentTab.onTouch(currentTab, touch_x, touch_y)
+    end
+end
+
+
+return {
+    setTerm=setTerm,
+    addTab=addTab,
+    showTab=showTab,
+    switchTab=switchTab,
+    updateSize=updateSize,
+    onTouch=onTouch,
+    currentTab=getCurrentTab,
+    allTabs=getAllTabs,
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test.lua b/test.lua
index 4957d25..cc86c2f 100644
--- a/test.lua
+++ b/test.lua
@@ -1,20 +1,13 @@
 local config = require "config"
+local tabview = require "tabview"
+local header_lines = 2
 
--- index of current tab
-local current_tab = config.initial_tab
 -- display working state
 local currently_working = true
--- current start index to view requests
-local page_start_idx = 1
 -- schedule immediate reload
 local immediate_reload = false
-
-local tabs = {
-    -- to display requests and answer with an ME interface
-    [1]=require "requests",
-    -- to display colony work orders
-    [2]=require "orders",
-}
+-- window for tabview
+local tabview_window = nil
 
 
 local function display()
@@ -28,64 +21,55 @@ local function display()
     term.setTextColor(colors.black)
     term.clearLine()
 
-    term.write(" " .. string.upper(tabs[current_tab].name) .. " ")
-    if currently_working == false then
-        term.setCursorPos(tw-8,1)
+    term.write(" " .. string.upper(tabview.currentTab().name) .. " ")
+    term.setCursorPos(tw-8,1)
+    if currently_working then
+        term.write(" w ")
+    else
         term.write(" R ")
     end
-    term.setCursorPos(tw-5,1)
     term.write(" ^  v ")
     term.setBackgroundColor(colors.black)
 
-    tabs[current_tab].display(page_start_idx)
-
-    if currently_working then
-        local cx,cy = term.getCursorPos()
-        term.setCursorPos(1,cy+2)
-        term.setCursorBlink(true)
-        term.setTextColor(colors.gray)
-        term.write("Working... ")
+    for name, tab in pairs(tabview.allTabs()) do
+        tab.displayTab(tab)
     end
 end
 
 
-local function page_down(th)
-    page_start_idx = page_start_idx+th-3
-end
-
-
-local function page_up(th)
-    page_start_idx = math.max(1, page_start_idx-th+3)
-end
-
-
 local function on_touch(touch_x, touch_y)
     local tw,th = term.getSize()
     if touch_y == 1 then
-        if touch_x < (#tabs[current_tab].name + 2) then
-            current_tab = current_tab + 1
-            if current_tab > #tabs then
-                current_tab = 1
-            end
+        if touch_x > tw-3 and touch_x <= tw then
+            tabview.currentTab().pageDown()
+            return true
+        elseif touch_x > tw-6 and touch_x < tw-2 then
+            tabview.currentTab().pageUp()
             return true
         elseif currently_working == false and touch_x > tw-9 and touch_x < tw-5 then
             -- reload button
             immediate_reload = true
             return true
-        elseif touch_x > tw-6 and touch_x < tw-2 then
-            page_up(th)
-            return true
-        elseif touch_x > tw-3 and touch_x <= tw then
-            page_down(th) 
+        elseif touch_x < (#tabview.currentTab().name + 2) then
+            tabview.switchTab()
             return true
         end
-    elseif tabs[current_tab].on_touch(touch_x, touch_y) then
+    elseif tabview.onTouch(touch_x, touch_y) then
         return true
     end
     return false
 end
 
 
+local function update_windows()
+    if tabview_window then
+        local tw, th = term.getSize()
+        tabview_window.reposition(1, 1+header_lines, tw, th-header_lines)
+        tabview.updateSize()
+    end
+end
+
+
 local function wait_for(time_secs)
     display()
     local timer_id = os.startTimer(time_secs)
@@ -104,22 +88,44 @@ local function wait_for(time_secs)
             if event_data[2] == timer_id then
                 break
             end
+        elseif event_data[1] == "term_resize" then
+            update_windows()
+            display()
         end
     end
 end
 
 
-if peripheral.isPresent(config.monitor_side) then
-    monitor = peripheral.wrap(config.monitor_side)
-    monitor.setTextScale(config.monitor_scale)
-    term.redirect(monitor)
+local function init()
+    if peripheral.isPresent(config.monitor_side) then
+        local monitor = peripheral.wrap(config.monitor_side)
+        monitor.setTextScale(config.monitor_scale)
+        term.redirect(monitor)
+    end
+
+    local tw, th = term.getSize()
+    tabview_window = window.create(term.current(), 1, 1+header_lines, tw, th-header_lines)
+    tabview.setTerm(tabview_window)
+
+    -- to display requests and answer with an ME interface
+    tabview.addTab(require "requests", 1)
+    -- to display colony work orders
+    tabview.addTab(require "orders", 2)
+
+    tabview.showTab(config.initial_tab)
 end
 
-while true do
-    currently_working = true
-    for i, tab in pairs(tabs) do
-        tab.fetch(wait_for)
+
+local function main()
+    init()
+    while true do
+        currently_working = true
+        for name, tab in pairs(tabview.allTabs()) do
+            tab.fetch(wait_for)
+        end
+        currently_working = false
+        wait_for(config.round_sleep_time)
     end
-    currently_working = false
-    wait_for(config.round_sleep_time)
 end
+
+main()
diff --git a/update.lua b/update.lua
index 0271552..078500e 100644
--- a/update.lua
+++ b/update.lua
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ end
 
 if update_update() then
     download_file("permset.lua")
+    download_file("tabview.lua")
     download_file("requests.lua")
     download_file("orders.lua")
     download_file("test.lua")