diff --git a/collects/scribble/text.ss b/collects/scribble/text.ss
index f590c789..fe49e1e4 100644
--- a/collects/scribble/text.ss
+++ b/collects/scribble/text.ss
@@ -1,60 +1,22 @@
 #lang scheme/base
 
-(require scheme/promise (for-syntax scheme/base))
-(provide (all-from-out scheme/base scheme/promise))
+(require scheme/promise)
 
-(define (show x [p (current-output-port)])
-  (let show ([x x])
+;; output
+
+(provide output)
+(define (output x [p (current-output-port)])
+  (let loop ([x x])
     (cond [(or (void? x) (not x) (null? x)) (void)]
-          [(pair? x) (show (car x)) (show (cdr x))]
-          [(promise? x) (show (force x))]
-          [(keyword? x) (show (keyword->string x))]
-          [(and (procedure? x) (procedure-arity-includes? x 0)) (show (x))]
-          ;; display won't work, since it calls us back
-          ;; [else (display x p)]
-          ;; things that are printed directly
+          [(pair? x) (loop (car x)) (loop (cdr x))]
+          [(promise? x) (loop (force x))]
+          [(keyword? x) (loop (keyword->string x))]
+          [(and (procedure? x) (procedure-arity-includes? x 0)) (loop (x))]
           [(bytes? x)  (write-bytes x p)]
           [(string? x) (write-string x p)]
           [(char? x)   (write-char x p)]
           [(number? x) (write x p)]
+          [(symbol? x) (display x p)]
           ;; generic fallback
-          [else (show (format "~a" x))])))
-
-;; this is too much -- it also changes error messages
-;; (global-port-print-handler show)
-(port-display-handler (current-output-port) show)
-
-;; the default prints a newline too, avoid that
-(current-print display)
-
-;; make it possible to use this language through a repl
-;; --> won't work: need an `inside' reader that reads a single expression
-;; (require (prefix-in * "text/lang/reader.ss"))
-;; (current-prompt-read
-;;  (lambda () (parameterize ([read-accept-reader #t]) (*read-syntax))))
-
-;; Utilities
-
-(require (prefix-in at: "reader.ss"))
-(provide at:read-inside at:read-syntax-inside)
-
-(provide include)
-(define-syntax (include stx)
-  (syntax-case stx ()
-    [(_ filename)
-     (let* ([source (syntax-source stx)]
-            [dir (or (and source
-                          (let-values ([(base file dir?) (split-path source)])
-                            (and (path? base) base)))
-                     (current-load-relative-directory)
-                     (current-directory))])
-       (with-syntax ([ns (if source
-                           #`(module->namespace #,source)
-                           #'(current-namespace))]
-                     [dir dir])
-         #'(let ([contents
-                  (with-input-from-file (path->complete-path filename dir)
-                    at:read-syntax-inside)])
-             (parameterize ([current-namespace ns])
-               (for ([expr (syntax->list contents)])
-                 (show (eval expr)))))))]))
+          [else (error 'output "don't know how to render value: ~v" x)]))
+  (void))