diff --git a/example/hello.html b/example/hello.html
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/hello.html
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<html>
+<head>
+<title>Hello, world!</title>
+</head>
+<body>
+Hello, world!
+</body>
+</html>
diff --git a/simplewiki.ini b/simplewiki.ini
--- a/simplewiki.ini
+++ b/simplewiki.ini
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ port = 12345
 [composite:main]
 use = egg:Paste#urlmap
 / = SimpleWiki
 
 set debug = false
 
 [app:SimpleWiki]
 paste.app_factory = simplewiki.factory:factory
-SimpleWiki.name = world
\ No newline at end of file
+SimpleWiki.directory = %(here)s/example
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/simplewiki/dispatcher.py b/simplewiki/dispatcher.py
--- a/simplewiki/dispatcher.py
+++ b/simplewiki/dispatcher.py
@@ -1,43 +1,41 @@
 """
 request dispatcher:
 data persisting across requests should go here
 """
 
 import os
 
-from handlers import Index
+from handlers import GenshiRenderer
 
 from genshi.template import TemplateLoader
 from paste.fileapp import FileApp
 from pkg_resources import resource_filename
 from webob import Request, Response, exc
 
 class Dispatcher(object):
 
     ### class level variables
     defaults = { 'auto_reload': 'False',
                  'template_dirs': '',
-                 'app': None,
-                 'name': 'anonymous' }
+                 'name': 'anonymous',
+                 'directory': None }
 
     def __init__(self, **kw):
 
         # set instance parameters from kw and defaults
         for key in self.defaults:
             setattr(self, key, kw.get(key, self.defaults[key]))
         self.auto_reload = self.auto_reload.lower() == 'true'
 
+        assert self.directory and os.path.exists(self.directory), "Must specify an existing directory"
+
         # request handlers
-        self.handlers = [ Index ]
-
-        # endpoint app if used as middleware
-        if self.app:
-            assert hasattr(self.app, '__call__')
+        self.handlers = [ GenshiRenderer ]
 
         # template loader
         self.template_dirs = self.template_dirs.split()
         self.template_dirs.append(resource_filename(__name__, 'templates'))
         self.loader = TemplateLoader(self.template_dirs,
                                      auto_reload=self.auto_reload)
 
     def __call__(self, environ, start_response):
@@ -52,18 +50,16 @@ class Dispatcher(object):
         request.environ['path'] = path
 
         # match the request to a handler
         for h in self.handlers:
             handler = h.match(self, request)
             if handler is not None:
                 break
         else:
-            if self.app:
-                return self.app(environ, start_response)
             handler = exc.HTTPNotFound
 
         # add navigation links to handler [example]
         if hasattr(handler, 'data'):
             handler.data.setdefault('links', [])
             for h in self.handlers:
                 handler.data['links'].append((handler.link(h.handler_path), 
                                               h.__name__))
diff --git a/simplewiki/handlers.py b/simplewiki/handlers.py
--- a/simplewiki/handlers.py
+++ b/simplewiki/handlers.py
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 """
 request handlers:
 these are instantiated for every request, then called
 """
 
+import os
 from urlparse import urlparse
 from webob import Response, exc
 
 class HandlerMatchException(Exception):
     """the handler doesn't match the request"""
 
 class Handler(object):
 
@@ -44,38 +45,47 @@ class Handler(object):
         else:
             application_url = [ self.application_path ]
         path = application_url + path
         return '/'.join(path)
 
     def redirect(self, location):
         raise exc.HTTPSeeOther(location=location)
 
-class GenshiHandler(Handler):
+class GenshiRenderer(Handler):
+
+    @classmethod
+    def match(cls, app, request):
+
+        # check the method
+        if request.method not in cls.methods:
+            return None
+
+        # check the path
+        path = request.environ['path']
+        if not path:
+            return None
+        if not path[-1].endswith('.html'):
+            return None
+
+        
+        try:
+            return cls(app, request)
+        except HandlerMatchException:
+            return None
 
     def __init__(self, app, request):
         Handler.__init__(self, app, request)
+        self.template = os.path.join(app.directory, *request.environ['path'])
+        if not os.path.exists(self.template):
+            raise HandlerMatchException
         self.data = { 'request': request,
                       'link': self.link }
 
     def __call__(self):
         return getattr(self, self.request.method.title())()
 
     def Get(self):
         # needs to have self.template set
         template = self.app.loader.load(self.template)
         return Response(content_type='text/html',
                         body=template.generate(**self.data).render('html'))
 
-class Index(GenshiHandler):
-    template = 'index.html'
-    methods=set(['GET', 'POST'])
-
-    def __init__(self, app, request):
-        GenshiHandler.__init__(self, app, request)
-
-    def Get(self):
-        self.data['name'] = self.request.remote_user or self.app.name
-        return GenshiHandler.Get(self)
-
-    def Post(self):
-        self.app.name = self.request.POST.get('name', self.app.name)
-        self.redirect(self.link(self.handler_path))