diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1623246..98eb1b6 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -59,4 +59,5 @@ docs/_build/
 
 # PyBuilder
 target/
+notes.txt
 
diff --git a/SoftOscilloscope.py b/SoftOscilloscope.py
index c95d0f2..2bc2524 100644
--- a/SoftOscilloscope.py
+++ b/SoftOscilloscope.py
@@ -2,77 +2,28 @@
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 from matplotlib import animation
 import numpy as np
-
-class Oscilloscope(object):
-    def __init__(self, stream=None):
-        self.stream = None
-        self.stream_type = None
+            
+class BasePlot(object):
+    def __init__(self, stream):
+        self.stream = stream
         self.fig = plt.figure()
         self.fig.canvas.mpl_connect('close_event', self.handle_close)
         self.plot_list = []
-        self.stream_is_open = False
-        self.stream_args = None
-            
-    def init_serial(self, com_port, baud_rate):
-        try:
-            self.stream = serial.Serial()
-            self.stream.port = com_port
-            self.stream.baud_rate = baud_rate
-            self.stream_type = 'serial'
-            self.stream_args = (com_port, baud_rate)
-        except SerialException, message:
-            print message
-            return
-            
-    def init_socket(self, address, port):
-        try:
-            self.stream = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
-            self.stream.connect((address, port))
-            self.settimeout(5)
-            self.stream = self.stream.makefile()
-            self.stream_is_open = True
-            self.stream_type = 'socket'
-            self.stream_args = (address, port)
-        except SocketException, message:
-            print message
-            return
-            
-    def init_stream(self, stream):
-        if hasattr(stream, 'readline'):
-            if hasattr(stream, 'open') or hasattr(stream, 'connect'):
-                self.stream = stream
-                self.stream_type = 'generic'                  
-            else:
-                return
-        else:
-            return
-            
+                
     def open_stream(self):
-        if self.stream is None:
-            print "Stream not initialized."
-            return
-        if not self.stream_is_open
-            try:
-                if self.stream_type == 'serial':
-                    self.stream.open()
-                elif self.stream_type == 'socket':
-                    self.init_socket()
-                elif self.stream_type == 'generic':
-                    if hasattr(self.stream, 'open'):
-                        self.stream.open()
-                    elif hasattr(self.stream, 'connect'):
-                        self.stream.connect()
-                    else
-                        return
-                 else:
-                    return
-                 self.stream_is_open = True
-            except error, message:
-                print message
-                return
-        else:
-            return
-            
+        self.stream.open()
+        
+    def close_stream(self):
+        if hasattr(self.stream, 'flushInput'):
+            self.stream.flushInput()
+        if hasattr(self.stream, 'flushOutput'):
+            self.stream.flushOutput()
+        self.stream.close()
+        print "stream closed"
+        
+    def handle_close_event(self, event):
+        self.close_stream()
+
     def plot_init(self):
         trial_data = self.stream.readline().rstrip().split()
         for i in xrange(1, len(trial_data) + 1):
@@ -101,20 +52,11 @@ def plot_animate(self, fn, read_size=1):
                 plot[1]._invalidy = True
             except ValueError:
                 pass
+            except error, message:
+                print message
+                return
         return [x[1] for x in self.plot_list]
-
-    def handle_close(self, evt):
-        self.close_stream()
-     
-    def close_stream(self):
-        if hasattr(self.stream, 'flushInput'):
-            self.stream.flushInput()
-        if hasattr(self.stream, 'flushOutput'):
-            self.stream.flushOutput()
-        if hasattr(self.stream, 'close'):
-            self.stream.close()
-            print "stream closed"
-          
+ 
     def start(self, read_size=1):
         self.open_stream()
         animated_plot = animation.FuncAnimation(
@@ -127,4 +69,33 @@ def start(self, read_size=1):
         try:
             self.fig.show()
         except:
-            self.close_stream()
\ No newline at end of file
+            self.close_stream()       
+
+class SerialPlot(BasePlot):
+    def __init__(self, com_port, baud_rate):
+        self.serial_port = serial.Serial()
+        self.serial_port.baud_rate = baud_rate
+        self.serial_port.com_port = com_port
+        super(SerialPlot, self).__init__(self.serial_port)
+        
+           
+class SocketPlot(BasePlot):
+    def __init__(self, address, port):
+        self.socket = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+        self.socket.settimeout(5)
+        self.socket.connect((address, port))
+        super(SocketPlot, self).__init__(self.socket.makefile())
+        
+    def open_stream(self):
+        self.socket.connect((address, port))
+        self.socket.settimeout(5)
+        self.stream = self.socket.makefile()
+        
+class GenericStreamPlot(BasePlot):
+    def __init__(self, stream):
+        if hasattr(stream, 'open') \
+        and hasattr(stream, 'close') \
+        and hasattr(stream, 'readline'):
+            super(GenericStreamPlot, self).__init__(stream)
+        else:
+            raise BadAttributeError("One of the open/close/readline attributes is missing")           
\ No newline at end of file