diff --git a/world/net/library/signature.c b/world/net/library/signature.c
index 7e9a709..99ad6e1 100644
--- a/world/net/library/signature.c
+++ b/world/net/library/signature.c
@@ -51,12 +51,19 @@ private volatile mapping _sigs = ([
 	"_request_nickname":	({ "_request_nick_local", 0, "_nick_local", "_INTERNAL_stuss" }),
 	// the real thing, maybe? method inheritance could even lead to here
 	// for all of the _request_set_something methods. good? bad?
+	"_request_place":	({ "_request_set", 0, "_key", "_value" }),
 	"_request_set":		({ "_request_set", 0, "_key", "_value" }),
 	// when called by _request_set(), value might be in _value
 	"_request_set_masquerade": ({ "_request_masquerade", 0, "_flag_masquerade" }),
 	"_request_set_owners":	({ "_request_owners", 0, "_list_owners" }), // _tab
 	"_request_set_public":	({ "_request_public", 0, "_flag_public" }),
 	"_request_set_style":	({ "_request_set_style", 0, "_uniform_style" }),
+	"_request_set_topic":	({ "_request_set_topic", 0, "_value" }),
+	"_request_topic":	({ "_request_set_topic", 0, "_value" }),
+	"_request_topi":	({ "_request_set_topic", 0, "_value" }),
+	"_request_top":		({ "_request_set_topic", 0, "_value" }),
+	"_request_to":		({ "_request_set_topic", 0, "_value" }),
+	"_request_t":		({ "_request_set_topic", 0, "_value" }),
 	// "INTERNAL" METHODS
 	// all of the following "fake" _request methods are just the psyced
 	// way to handle command name variations and shortcuts. never use this
@@ -92,15 +99,15 @@ private volatile mapping _sigs = ([
 #ifdef _flag_enable_module_microblogging
 	"_request_add":		({ "_request_add", 0, "_person" }),
 	"_request_remove":	({ "_request_remove", 0, "_person" }),
-	"_request_priv":	({ "_request_privacy", 0, "_privacy" }),
-	"_request_privacy":	({ "_request_privacy", 0, "_privacy" }),
+	"_request_set_priv":	({ "_request_set_privacy", 0, "_value" }),
+	"_request_set_privacy":	({ "_request_set_privacy", 0, "_value" }),
 #ifdef TWITTER
-	"_request_tw":		({ "_request_twitter", 0, "_switch" }),
-	"_request_twitter":	({ "_request_twitter", 0, "_switch" }),
+	"_request_set_tw":	({ "_request_set_twitter", 0, "_value" }),
+	"_request_set_twitter":	({ "_request_set_twitter", 0, "_value" }),
 #endif
 #ifdef IDENTICA
-	"_request_ica":		({ "_request_identica", 0, "_switch" }),
-	"_request_identica":	({ "_request_identica", 0, "_switch" }),
+	"_request_set_ica":	({ "_request_set_identica", 0, "_value" }),
+	"_request_set_identica":({ "_request_set_identica", 0, "_value" }),
 #endif
 #endif
 #ifdef EXPERIMENTAL
diff --git a/world/net/library/text.c b/world/net/library/text.c
index 25e8b04..c1f3411 100644
--- a/world/net/library/text.c
+++ b/world/net/library/text.c
@@ -179,3 +179,13 @@ string x(string str, int n) {
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++) res += str;
     return res;
 }
+
+int is_true(string v) {
+    if (strlen(v) && regmatch(v, "^(?:on|yes|true|enabled|1)$")) return 1;
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int is_false(string v) {
+    if (strlen(v) && regmatch(v, "^(?:off|no|false|disabled|0)$")) return 1;
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/world/net/place/archetype.gen b/world/net/place/archetype.gen
index 4bb4935..60efc8d 100644
--- a/world/net/place/archetype.gen
+++ b/world/net/place/archetype.gen
@@ -462,6 +462,18 @@ showTopic(rcpt, verbose, mc) {
 	  ]) );
 	return 1;
 }
+
+_request_set_topic(source, mc, data, vars, b) {
+    string value = vars["_value"] || vars["_topic"];
+    if (strlen(value)) {
+	if (value == "-") value = 0;
+	sTopic(value, source, vars["_nick"]);
+    } else {
+	showTopic(source, 1, OFFICIAL);
+    }
+    return 1;
+}
+
 #endif
 
 #if HAS_PORT(HTTP_PORT, HTTP_PATH) || HAS_PORT(HTTPS_PORT, HTTP_PATH)
@@ -1838,6 +1850,7 @@ cmd(a, args, b, source, vars) {
 		return 1;
 #endif
 #ifdef PLACE_TOPIC_COMMAND
+	// not used anymore, see _request_set_topic() instead
 	case "topic":
 	case "topi":
 	case "top":
@@ -2234,9 +2247,11 @@ _request_set(source, mc, data, vars, b) {
 	PT(("set(%O, %O, %O, %O, %O) called\n", source, mc, data, vars, b))
 	if (k = vars["_key"])
 	    // pass on to a subhandler
-	    if (call_signature(source, "_request_set"+ k, data, vars, b))
+	    if (call_signature(source, "_request_set_"+ k, data, vars, b))
 	    	return 1;
-	return 0;
+
+	sendmsg(source, "_warning_usage_place", "Usage: /place <variable> [<value>]");
+	return 1;
 }
 
 #ifdef PLACE_OWNED
@@ -2331,16 +2346,16 @@ _request_set_style(source, mc, data, vars, b) {
 		    vSet("_uniform_style", value);
 		    save();
 		} else if (value) {
-			sendmsg(source, 
+		    sendmsg(source,
 			    "_error_illegal_scheme",
-	    "That is not a valid [_scheme] URL for a file.",
+			    "That is not a valid [_scheme] URL for a file.",
 			    ([ "_scheme" : "http" ]));
-			return 1;
+		    return 1;
 		}
 		sendmsg(source, "_status_place_uniform_style",
-		    "Style file [_uniform_style] is in use here.",
+			"Style file [_uniform_style] is in use here.",
 			([ "_uniform_style" :
-			 v("_uniform_style") || "-" ]));
+			   v("_uniform_style") || "-" ]));
 		return 1;
 	}
 	return 0;
diff --git a/world/net/place/userthreads.c b/world/net/place/userthreads.c
index 7c4d3d3..0c091a8 100644
--- a/world/net/place/userthreads.c
+++ b/world/net/place/userthreads.c
@@ -129,47 +129,47 @@ _request_remove(source, mc, data, vars, b) {
 //  - public: anyone can enter
 _request_privacy(source, mc, data, vars, b) {
     P3((">> userthreads:_request_privace(%O, %O, %O, %O, %O)\n", source, mc, data, vars, b))
-    string p = vars["_privacy"];
-    if (p == "public" || p == "private") {
-	vSet("privacy", p);
+    string value = vars["_value"];
+    if (value == "public" || value == "private") {
+	vSet("privacy", value);
 	save();
     }
-    sendmsg(source, "_status_privacy", "Privacy is: [_privacy].", (["_privacy": v("privacy")]));
+    sendmsg(source, "_info_set_place_privacy", "Privacy is: [_value].", (["_value": v("privacy")]));
     return 1;
 }
 
 #ifdef TWITTER
-_request_twitter(source, mc, data, vars, b) {
-    string sw = vars["_switch"];
-    if (sw == "on" || sw == "enabled" || sw == "1") {
+_request_set_twitter(source, mc, data, vars, b) {
+    string value = vars["_value"];
+    if (is_true(value)) {
 	unless (twitter) twitter = clone_object(NET_PATH "twitter/client")->load(source);
 	vSet("twitter", 1);
 	save();
-    } else if (sw == "off" || sw == "disabled" || sw == "0") {
+    } else if (is_false(value)) {
 	if (twitter) twitter = 0;
 	vSet("twitter", 0);
 	save();
     }
 
-    sendmsg(source, "_status_twitter", "Twitter submission is [_status].", (["_status": v("twitter") ? "enabled" : "disabled"]));
+    sendmsg(source, "_info_set_place_twitter", "Twitter submission is [_status].", (["_status": v("twitter") ? "enabled" : "disabled"]));
     return 1;
 }
 #endif
 
 #ifdef IDENTICA
-_request_identica(source, mc, data, vars, b) {
-    string sw = vars["_switch"];
-    if (sw == "on" || sw == "enabled" || sw == "1") {
+_request_set_identica(source, mc, data, vars, b) {
+    string value = vars["_value"];
+    if (is_true(value)) {
 	unless (identica) identica = clone_object(NET_PATH "identica/client")->load(source);
 	vSet("identica", 1);
 	save();
-    } else if (sw == "off" || sw == "disabled" || sw == "0") {
+    } else if (is_false(value)) {
 	if (identica) identica = 0;
 	vSet("identica", 0);
 	save();
     }
 
-    sendmsg(source, "_status_identica", "Identi.ca submission is [_status].", (["_status": v("identica") ? "enabled" : "disabled"]));
+    sendmsg(source, "_info_set_place_identica", "Identi.ca submission is [_status].", (["_status": v("identica") ? "enabled" : "disabled"]));
     return 1;
 }
 #endif