diff --git a/server/git_kernel.py b/server/git_kernel.py
index 1f4273c..9bd7ae6 100644
--- a/server/git_kernel.py
+++ b/server/git_kernel.py
@@ -1,69 +1,116 @@
-#
-# Copyright 2007 IBM Corp. Released under the GPL v2
-# Authors: Ryan Harper <ryanh@us.ibm.com>
-#
-
 """
 This module defines the GitKernel class
+
+@author: Ryan Harper (ryanh@us.ibm.com)
+@copyright: IBM 2007
 """
 
-__author__ = """
-ryanh@us.ibm.com (Ryan Harper)
-"""
-
-
-import os
+import os, logging
 import git, source_kernel
 
 
-class GitKernel(git.GitRepo):
+class GitKernel(git.InstallableGitRepo):
     """
-    This class represents a git kernel repo.
+    This class represents an installable git kernel repo.
 
     It is used to pull down a local copy of a git repo, check if the local repo
     is up-to-date, if not update and then build the kernel from the git repo.
-
     """
     def __init__(self, repodir, giturl, weburl):
-        git.GitRepo.__init__(self, repodir, giturl, weburl)
-        self.__patches = []
-        self.__config = None
-        self.__build = None
+        super(GitKernel, self).__init__(repodir, giturl, weburl)
+        self._patches = []
+        self._config = None
+        self._build = None
+        self._branch = None
+        self._revision = None
 
 
     def configure(self, config):
-        self.__config = config
+        self._config = config
 
 
     def patch(self, patch):
-        self.__patches.append(patch)
+        self._patches.append(patch)
 
 
-    def install(self, host, build=True, builddir=None):
-        # use tmpdir if no builddir specified
-        # NB: pass a builddir to install() method if you
-        # need to ensure the build remains after the completion
-        # of a job
+    def checkout(self, revision, local=None):
+        """
+        Checkout the commit id, branch, or tag.
+
+        @param revision: Name of the git remote branch, revision or tag
+        @param local: Name of the local branch, implies -b
+        """
+        logging.info('Checking out %s', revision)
+        super(GitKernel, self).checkout(revision)
+        self._revision = super(GitKernel, self).get_revision()
+        self._branch = super(GitKernel, self).get_branch()
+        logging.info('Checked out %s on branch %s', self._revision,
+                     self._branch)
+
+
+    def show_branch(self):
+        """
+        Print the current local branch name.
+        """
+        self._branch = super(GitKernel, self).get_branch()
+        logging.info(self._branch)
+
+
+    def show_branches(self, all=True):
+        """
+        Print the local and remote branches.
+
+        @param all: Whether to show all branches (True) or only local branches
+                (False).
+        """
+        self._branch = super(GitKernel, self).get_branch()
+        logging.info(super(GitKernel, self).get_branch(all=all))
+
+
+    def show_revision(self):
+        """
+        Show the current git revision.
+        """
+        self._revision = super(GitKernel, self).get_revision()
+        logging.info(self._revision)
+
+
+    def install(self, host, build=True, builddir=None, revision=None):
+        """
+        Install the git tree in a host.
+
+        @param host: Host object
+        @param build: Whether to build the source tree
+        @param builddir: Specify a build dir. If no build dir is specified,
+                the job temporary directory will be used, so the build won't
+                be persistent.
+        @param revision: Desired commit hash. If ommited, will build from HEAD
+                of the branch.
+        """
+        if revision:
+            self.checkout(revision)
+            self._revision = super(GitKernel, self).get_revision()
+            logging.info('Checked out revision: %s', self._revision)
+
         if not builddir:
-            self.__build = os.path.join(host.get_tmp_dir(),"build")
-            print 'warning: builddir %s is not persistent' %(self.__build)
+            self._build = os.path.join(host.get_tmp_dir(), "build")
+            logging.warning('Builddir %s is not persistent (it will be erased '
+                            'in future jobs)', self._build)
 
         # push source to host for install
-        print 'pushing %s to host' %(self.source_material)
-        host.send_file(self.source_material, self.__build)
-        remote_source_material= os.path.join(self.__build,
-                        os.path.basename(self.source_material))
+        logging.info('Pushing %s to host', self.source_material)
+        host.send_file(self.source_material, self._build)
 
         # use a source_kernel to configure, patch, build and install.
-        sk = source_kernel.SourceKernel(remote_source_material)
+        sk = source_kernel.SourceKernel(self._build)
 
         if build:
             # apply patches
-            for p in self.__patches:
+            for p in self._patches:
                 sk.patch(p)
 
             # configure
-            sk.configure(self.__config)
+            sk.configure(self._config)
 
             # build
             sk.build(host)