diff --git a/docs/honk.8 b/docs/honk.8
index 92b8ca7..6d69578 100644
--- a/docs/honk.8
+++ b/docs/honk.8
@@ -81,14 +81,12 @@ Site CSS may be overridden by creating a
 .Pa views/local.css
 file.
 .Pp
-A custom message me be set by editing the database.
+Custom messages may be set by editing the database.
 (Sorry.)
 .Dl insert into config values ('servermsg', 'message');
+.Dl insert into config values ('aboutmsg', 'message');
+.Dl insert into config values ('loginmsg', 'message');
 .Pp
-The
-.Pa views/about.html
-page doesn't change too frequently.
-It should be safe to edit.
 .Ss ADMIN
 New users can be added with the
 .Ic adduser
diff --git a/honk.go b/honk.go
index 09cfada..1bd6da0 100644
--- a/honk.go
+++ b/honk.go
@@ -137,7 +137,9 @@ type Honker struct {
 
 var serverName string
 var iconName = "icon.png"
-var serverMsg = "Things happen."
+var serverMsg = template.HTML(`<h2>Things happen.</h2>`)
+var aboutMsg = template.HTML(`<h3>What is honk?</h3><p>Honk is amazing!`)
+var loginMsg = template.HTML(`<h2>login</h2>`)
 
 func ElaborateUnitTests() {
 }
@@ -160,6 +162,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatal("incorrect database version. run upgrade.")
 	}
 	getconfig("servermsg", &serverMsg)
+	getconfig("aboutmsg", &aboutMsg)
+	getconfig("loginmsg", &loginMsg)
 	getconfig("servername", &serverName)
 	getconfig("usersep", &userSep)
 	getconfig("honksep", &honkSep)
diff --git a/views/about.html b/views/about.html
index 1a3bd1b..4c7cc92 100644
--- a/views/about.html
+++ b/views/about.html
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 {{ template "header.html" . }}
 <main>
 <div class="info">
-<h3>What is honk?</h3>
-<p>Honk is amazing!
+{{ .AboutMsg }}
 </div>
 </main>
diff --git a/views/login.html b/views/login.html
index 999d97b..b10c008 100644
--- a/views/login.html
+++ b/views/login.html
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 {{ template "header.html" . }}
 <main>
 <div class="info">
+{{ .LoginMsg }}
 <form action="/dologin" method="POST">
-	<p><span class="title">login</span>
 	<p><input tabindex=1 type="text" name="username" autocomplete=off> - username
 	<p><input tabindex=1 type="password" name="password"> - password
 	<p><button tabindex=1 name="login" value="login">login</button>
diff --git a/web.go b/web.go
index da937e9..930fecd 100644
--- a/web.go
+++ b/web.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func homepage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		userid = u.UserID
 		switch r.URL.Path {
 		case "/atme":
-			templinfo["PageName"] = "at me!"
+			templinfo["ServerMessage"] = "at me!"
 			templinfo["PageName"] = "atme"
 			honks = gethonksforme(userid, 0)
 		case "/events":
@@ -1586,6 +1586,8 @@ func servehelp(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 func servehtml(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	templinfo := getInfo(r)
+	templinfo["AboutMsg"] = aboutMsg
+	templinfo["LoginMsg"] = loginMsg
 	err := readviews.Execute(w, r.URL.Path[1:]+".html", templinfo)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Print(err)