diff --git a/lib/bosl/compiler/basic_expressions.rb b/lib/bosl/compiler/basic_expressions.rb
index 1de04629..e10b9f39 100644
--- a/lib/bosl/compiler/basic_expressions.rb
+++ b/lib/bosl/compiler/basic_expressions.rb
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ module Bosl
   #    attr_reader  :string
       def self.compile_string expression , method
         # Clearly a TODO here to implement strings rather than reusing symbols
-        value = expression.string.to_sym
-        to = Virtual::Return.new(Reference , value)
+        value = expression.first.to_sym
+        to = Virtual::Return.new(Virtual::Reference , value)
         method.source.constants << value
         method.source.add_code Virtual::Set.new( value , to )
         to
diff --git a/lib/bosl/compiler/callsite_expression.rb b/lib/bosl/compiler/callsite_expression.rb
index 36c9dbeb..a9d3e82e 100644
--- a/lib/bosl/compiler/callsite_expression.rb
+++ b/lib/bosl/compiler/callsite_expression.rb
@@ -8,8 +8,11 @@ module Bosl
       name , arguments , receiver = *expession
       name = name.to_a.first
 
-      me = Compiler.compile( receiver.to_a.first , method )
-
+      if receiver
+        me = Compiler.compile( receiver.to_a.first , method )
+      else
+        me = Virtual::Self.new
+      end
       ## need two step process, compile and save to frame
       # then move from frame to new message
       method.source.add_code Virtual::NewMessage.new
diff --git a/lib/bosl/compiler/if_expression.rb b/lib/bosl/compiler/if_expression.rb
index 8561ccdb..f7fd1f2b 100644
--- a/lib/bosl/compiler/if_expression.rb
+++ b/lib/bosl/compiler/if_expression.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ module Bosl
 #    if - attr_reader  :cond, :if_true, :if_false
 
     def self.compile_if expression , method
+      condition , if_true , if_false = *expression
+      condition = condition.first
       # to execute the logic as the if states it, the blocks are the other way around
       # so we can the jump over the else if true ,
       # and the else joins unconditionally after the true_block
@@ -11,27 +13,27 @@ module Bosl
       false_block = method.source.new_block "if_false"    # directly next in order, ie if we don't jump we land here
 
 
-      is = Compiler.compile(expression.cond, method )
+      is = Compiler.compile(condition, method )
       # TODO should/will use different branches for different conditions.
       # just a scetch : cond_val = cond_val.is_true?(method) unless cond_val.is_a? BranchCondition
-      method.source.add_code IsTrueBranch.new( true_block )
+      method.source.add_code Virtual::IsTrueBranch.new( true_block )
 
       # compile the true block (as we think of it first, even it is second in sequential order)
       method.source.current true_block
       last = is
-      expression.if_true.each do |part|
+      if_true.each do |part|
         last = Compiler.compile(part,method  )
         raise part.inspect if last.nil?
       end
 
       # compile the false block
       method.source.current false_block
-      expression.if_false.each do |part|
+      if_false.each do |part|
         #puts "compiling in if false #{part}"
         last = Compiler.compile(part,method )
         raise part.inspect if last.nil?
       end
-      method.source.add_code UnconditionalBranch.new( merge_block )
+      method.source.add_code Virtual::UnconditionalBranch.new( merge_block )
 
       #puts "compiled if: end"
       method.source.current merge_block
diff --git a/lib/bosl/compiler/operator_expressions.rb b/lib/bosl/compiler/operator_expressions.rb
index f9da2d80..2140be60 100644
--- a/lib/bosl/compiler/operator_expressions.rb
+++ b/lib/bosl/compiler/operator_expressions.rb
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ module Bosl
   module Compiler
 #    operator attr_reader  :operator, :left, :right
     def self.compile_operator expression, method
-      call = Ast::CallSiteExpression.new(expression.operator , [expression.right] , expression.left )
-      Compiler.compile(call, method)
+      operator , left , right = *expression
+      nil
     end
 
     def self.compile_assign expression, method
diff --git a/test/fragments/test_if.rb b/test/fragments/test_if.rb
index 629e9034..cf0e162a 100644
--- a/test/fragments/test_if.rb
+++ b/test/fragments/test_if.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ HERE
 
   def test_if_function
     @string_input = <<HERE
-def itest(n)
+int itest(int n)
   if( n < 12)
     "then".putstring()
   else