diff --git a/README b/README
index 952c914fec..7ecd025ac5 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ released Aug 26 2009. Notable changes this version:
 - Check for site servername config'd.
 - Compatibility fix for empty status updates with Twitter API.
 - Option to show files privately (EXPERIMENTAL! Use with caution.)
+- a script to register a new user.
+- a script to make a user admin of a group.
 
 Prerequisites
 =============
diff --git a/classes/User.php b/classes/User.php
index 3fa9cc1526..f060b57a8c 100644
--- a/classes/User.php
+++ b/classes/User.php
@@ -117,15 +117,11 @@ class User extends Memcached_DataObject
     function allowed_nickname($nickname)
     {
         // XXX: should already be validated for size, content, etc.
-
-        $blacklist = array();
-
-        //all directory and file names should be blacklisted
-        $d = dir(INSTALLDIR);
-        while (false !== ($entry = $d->read())) {
-            $blacklist[]=$entry;
-        }
-        $d->close();
+        static $blacklist = array('rss', 'xrds', 'doc', 'main',
+                                  'settings', 'notice', 'user',
+                                  'search', 'avatar', 'tag', 'tags',
+                                  'api', 'message', 'group', 'groups',
+                                  'local');
         $merged = array_merge($blacklist, common_config('nickname', 'blacklist'));
         return !in_array($nickname, $merged);
     }
diff --git a/db/notice_source.sql b/db/notice_source.sql
index 2657763f44..5c5c939dd0 100644
--- a/db/notice_source.sql
+++ b/db/notice_source.sql
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ VALUES
     ('anyio', 'Any.IO', 'http://any.io/', now()),
     ('betwittered','BeTwittered','http://www.32hours.com/betwitteredinfo/', now()),
     ('bti','bti','http://gregkh.github.com/bti/', now()),
+    ('choqok', 'Choqok', 'http://choqok.gnufolks.org/', now()),
     ('cliqset', 'Cliqset', 'http://www.cliqset.com/', now()),
     ('deskbar','Deskbar-Applet','http://www.gnome.org/projects/deskbar-applet/', now()),
     ('Do','Gnome Do','http://do.davebsd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Microblog_Plugin', now()),
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ VALUES
     ('rygh.no','rygh.no','http://rygh.no/', now()),
     ('ryghsms','ryghsms','http://sms.rygh.no/', now()),
     ('smob','SMOB','http://smob.sioc-project.org/', now()),
+    ('socialoomphBfD4pMqz31', 'SocialOomph', 'http://www.socialoomph.com/', now()),
     ('spaz','Spaz','http://funkatron.com/spaz', now()),
     ('tarpipe','tarpipe','http://tarpipe.com/', now()),
     ('tjunar','Tjunar','http://nederflash.nl/boek/titels/tjunar-air', now()),
diff --git a/scripts/makegroupadmin.php b/scripts/makegroupadmin.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a68798451c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/makegroupadmin.php
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env php
+<?php
+/*
+ * StatusNet - a distributed open-source microblogging tool
+ * Copyright (C) 2008, 2009, StatusNet, Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+define('INSTALLDIR', realpath(dirname(__FILE__) . '/..'));
+
+$shortoptions = 'g:n:';
+$longoptions = array('nickname=', 'group=');
+
+$helptext = <<<END_OF_MAKEGROUPADMIN_HELP
+makegroupadmin.php [options]
+makes a user the admin of a group
+
+  -g --group    group to add an admin to
+  -n --nickname nickname of the new admin
+
+END_OF_MAKEGROUPADMIN_HELP;
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR.'/scripts/commandline.inc';
+
+$nickname = get_option_value('n', 'nickname');
+$groupname = get_option_value('g', 'group');
+
+if (empty($nickname) || empty($groupname)) {
+    print "Must provide a nickname and group.\n";
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+try {
+
+    $user = User::staticGet('nickname', $nickname);
+
+    if (empty($user)) {
+        throw new Exception("No user named '$nickname'.");
+    }
+
+    $group = User_group::staticGet('nickname', $groupname);
+
+    if (empty($group)) {
+        throw new Exception("No group named '$groupname'.");
+    }
+
+    $member = Group_member::pkeyGet(array('group_id' => $group->id,
+                                          'profile_id' => $user->id));
+
+    if (empty($member)) {
+        $member = new Group_member();
+
+        $member->group_id   = $group->id;
+        $member->profile_id = $user->id;
+        $member->created    = common_sql_now();
+
+        if (!$member->insert()) {
+            throw new Exception("Can't add '$nickname' to '$groupname'.");
+        }
+    }
+
+    if ($member->is_admin) {
+        throw new Exception("'$nickname' is already an admin of '$groupname'.");
+    }
+
+    $orig = clone($member);
+
+    $member->is_admin = 1;
+
+    if (!$member->update($orig)) {
+        throw new Exception("Can't make '$nickname' admin of '$groupname'.");
+    }
+
+} catch (Exception $e) {
+    print $e->getMessage() . "\n";
+    exit(1);
+}
diff --git a/scripts/registeruser.php b/scripts/registeruser.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5d9c8862da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/registeruser.php
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env php
+<?php
+/*
+ * StatusNet - a distributed open-source microblogging tool
+ * Copyright (C) 2008, 2009, StatusNet, Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+define('INSTALLDIR', realpath(dirname(__FILE__) . '/..'));
+
+$shortoptions = 'n:w:f:e:';
+$longoptions = array('nickname=', 'password=', 'fullname=', 'email=');
+
+$helptext = <<<END_OF_REGISTERUSER_HELP
+registeruser.php [options]
+registers a user in the database
+
+  -n --nickname nickname of the new user
+  -w --password password of the new user
+  -f --fullname full name of the new user (optional)
+  -e --email    email address of the new user (optional)
+
+END_OF_REGISTERUSER_HELP;
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR.'/scripts/commandline.inc';
+
+$nickname = get_option_value('n', 'nickname');
+$password = get_option_value('w', 'password');
+$fullname = get_option_value('f', 'fullname');
+
+$email = get_option_value('e', 'email');
+
+if (empty($nickname) || empty($password)) {
+    print "Must provide a username and password.\n";
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+try {
+
+    $user = User::staticGet('nickname', $nickname);
+
+    if (!empty($user)) {
+        throw new Exception("A user named '$nickname' already exists.");
+    }
+
+    $user = User::register(array('nickname' => $nickname,
+                                 'password' => $password,
+                                 'fullname' => $fullname));
+
+    if (empty($user)) {
+        throw new Exception("Can't register user '$nickname' with password '$password' and fullname '$fullname'.");
+    }
+
+    if (!empty($email)) {
+
+        $orig = clone($user);
+
+        $user->email = $email;
+
+        if (!$user->updateKeys($orig)) {
+            print "Failed!\n";
+            throw new Exception("Can't update email address.");
+        }
+    }
+
+} catch (Exception $e) {
+    print $e->getMessage() . "\n";
+    exit(1);
+}