diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index da33e5e..1d196c9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,23 +65,23 @@ This will install default Java jar dependencies in `target/dependency`, generate
 
 Create a subdirectory for your topology code and create your topology class **using this naming convention**: *underscore* topology_class_file_name.rb **MUST** correspond to its *CamelCase* class name.
 
-Here's an example [hello_world_topology.rb](https://github.com/colinsurprenant/redstorm/tree/master/examples/simple/hello_world_topology.rb)
+Here's an example [hello_world_topology.rb](https://github.com/colinsurprenant/redstorm/tree/master/examples/dsl/hello_world_topology.rb)
 
 ``` ruby
 require 'red_storm'
 
-class HelloWorldSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+class HelloWorldSpout < RedStorm::DSL::Spout
   on_init {@words = ["hello", "world"]}
   on_send {@words.shift unless @words.empty?}
 end
 
-class HelloWorldBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
+class HelloWorldBolt < RedStorm::DSL::Bolt
   on_receive :emit => false do |tuple|
     log.info(tuple.getString(0))
   end
 end
 
-class HelloWorldTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
+class HelloWorldTopology < RedStorm::DSL::Topology
   spout HelloWorldSpout do
     output_fields :word
   end
@@ -226,21 +226,21 @@ Install the [example files](https://github.com/colinsurprenant/redstorm/tree/mas
 $ redstorm examples
 ```
 
-All examples using the [DSL](https://github.com/colinsurprenant/redstorm/wiki/Ruby-DSL-Documentation) are located in `examples/simple`. Examples using the standard Java interface are in `examples/native`.
+All examples using the [DSL](https://github.com/colinsurprenant/redstorm/wiki/Ruby-DSL-Documentation) are located in `examples/dsl`. Examples using the standard Java interface are in `examples/native`.
 
 ### Local mode
 
 #### Example topologies without gems
 
 ``` sh
-$ redstorm local examples/simple/exclamation_topology.rb
-$ redstorm local examples/simple/exclamation_topology2.rb
-$ redstorm local examples/simple/word_count_topology.rb
+$ redstorm local examples/dsl/exclamation_topology.rb
+$ redstorm local examples/dsl/exclamation_topology2.rb
+$ redstorm local examples/dsl/word_count_topology.rb
 ```
 
 #### Example topologies with gems
 
-For `examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb` the `redis` gem is required and you need a [Redis](http://redis.io/) server running on `localhost:6379`
+For `examples/dsl/redis_word_count_topology.rb` the `redis` gem is required and you need a [Redis](http://redis.io/) server running on `localhost:6379`
 
 1. create a `Gemfile`
 
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ For `examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb` the `redis` gem is required a
 3. run the topology in local mode
 
   ``` sh
-  $ redstorm local examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb
+  $ redstorm local examples/dsl/redis_word_count_topology.rb
   ```
 
 Using `redis-cli` push words into the `test` list and watch Storm pick them up
@@ -283,15 +283,15 @@ All examples using the [DSL](https://github.com/colinsurprenant/redstorm/wiki/Ru
 2. submit the cluster topology jar file to the cluster, assuming you have the Storm distribution installed and the Storm `bin/` directory in your path:
 
   ``` sh
-  $ redstorm cluster examples/simple/exclamation_topology.rb
-  $ redstorm cluster examples/simple/exclamation_topology2.rb
-  $ redstorm cluster examples/simple/word_count_topology.rb
+  $ redstorm cluster examples/dsl/exclamation_topology.rb
+  $ redstorm cluster examples/dsl/exclamation_topology2.rb
+  $ redstorm cluster examples/dsl/word_count_topology.rb
   ```
 
 
 #### Topologies with gems
 
-For `examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb` the `redis` gem is required and you need a [Redis](http://redis.io/) server running on `localhost:6379`
+For `examples/dsl/redis_word_count_topology.rb` the `redis` gem is required and you need a [Redis](http://redis.io/) server running on `localhost:6379`
 
 1. create a `Gemfile`
 
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ For `examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb` the `redis` gem is required a
 4. submit the cluster topology jar file to the cluster, assuming you have the Storm distribution installed and the Storm `bin/` directory in your path:
 
   ``` sh
-  $ redstorm cluster examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb
+  $ redstorm cluster examples/dsl/redis_word_count_topology.rb
   ```
 
 Using `redis-cli` push words into the `test` list and watch Storm pick them up
diff --git a/examples/dsl/exclamation_bolt.rb b/examples/dsl/exclamation_bolt.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed9d7ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/dsl/exclamation_bolt.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+require 'red_storm'
+
+module RedStorm
+  module Examples
+    class ExclamationBolt < DSL::Bolt
+      output_fields :word
+      on_receive(:ack => true, :anchor => true) {|tuple| tuple[0] + "!!!"} # tuple[:word] or tuple["word"] are also valid
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/examples/simple/exclamation_topology.rb b/examples/dsl/exclamation_topology.rb
similarity index 86%
rename from examples/simple/exclamation_topology.rb
rename to examples/dsl/exclamation_topology.rb
index 6365717..22f637e 100644
--- a/examples/simple/exclamation_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/exclamation_topology.rb
@@ -1,21 +1,21 @@
 java_import 'backtype.storm.testing.TestWordSpout'
 
 require 'red_storm'
-require 'examples/simple/exclamation_bolt'
+require 'examples/dsl/exclamation_bolt'
 
 # this example topology uses the Storm TestWordSpout and our own JRuby ExclamationBolt
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
-    class ExclamationTopology < SimpleTopology
+    class ExclamationTopology < DSL::Topology
       spout TestWordSpout, :parallelism => 2 do
         debug true
       end
-      
+
       bolt ExclamationBolt, :parallelism => 2 do
         source TestWordSpout, :shuffle
       end
-      
+
       bolt ExclamationBolt, :id => :ExclamationBolt2, :parallelism => 2 do
         source ExclamationBolt, :shuffle
         debug true
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ module RedStorm
 
       on_submit do |env|
         if env == :local
-          sleep(5)
+          sleep(10)
           cluster.shutdown
         end
       end
diff --git a/examples/simple/exclamation_topology2.rb b/examples/dsl/exclamation_topology2.rb
similarity index 86%
rename from examples/simple/exclamation_topology2.rb
rename to examples/dsl/exclamation_topology2.rb
index 9d25bb1..4f23197 100644
--- a/examples/simple/exclamation_topology2.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/exclamation_topology2.rb
@@ -7,18 +7,18 @@ require 'red_storm'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
-    class ExclamationBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
+    class ExclamationBolt < DSL::Bolt
       output_fields :word
-      on_receive(:ack => true, :anchor => true) {|tuple| "!#{tuple.getString(0)}!"}
+      on_receive(:ack => true, :anchor => true) {|tuple| "!#{tuple[0]}!"} # tuple[:word] or tuple["word"] are also valid
     end
 
-    class ExclamationTopology2 < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
+    class ExclamationTopology2 < DSL::Topology
       spout TestWordSpout, :parallelism => 2
-      
+
       bolt ExclamationBolt, :parallelism => 2 do
         source TestWordSpout, :shuffle
       end
-      
+
       bolt ExclamationBolt, :id => :ExclamationBolt2, :parallelism => 2 do
         source ExclamationBolt, :shuffle
       end
diff --git a/examples/simple/hello_world_topology.rb b/examples/dsl/hello_world_topology.rb
similarity index 57%
rename from examples/simple/hello_world_topology.rb
rename to examples/dsl/hello_world_topology.rb
index 63a1b2d..9c7ce97 100644
--- a/examples/simple/hello_world_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/hello_world_topology.rb
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 require 'red_storm'
 
-class HelloWorldSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+class HelloWorldSpout < RedStorm::DSL::Spout
   on_init {@words = ["hello", "world"]}
   on_send {@words.shift unless @words.empty?}
 end
 
-class HelloWorldBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
+class HelloWorldBolt < RedStorm::DSL::Bolt
   on_receive :emit => false do |tuple|
-    log.info(tuple.getString(0))
+    log.info(tuple[0]) # tuple[:word] or tuple["word"] are also valid
   end
 end
 
-class HelloWorldTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
+class HelloWorldTopology < RedStorm::DSL::Topology
   spout HelloWorldSpout do
     output_fields :word
   end
diff --git a/examples/simple/kafka_topology.rb b/examples/dsl/kafka_topology.rb
similarity index 91%
rename from examples/simple/kafka_topology.rb
rename to examples/dsl/kafka_topology.rb
index 679f0f4..404c9c8 100644
--- a/examples/simple/kafka_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/kafka_topology.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ require 'red_storm'
 #   </dependencies>
 # </ivy-module>
 
-class KafkaTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
+class KafkaTopology < RedStorm::DSL::Topology
   spout_config = SpoutConfig.new(
     KafkaConfig::ZkHosts.new("localhost:2181", "/brokers"),
     "words",        # topic to read from
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ class KafkaTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
   )
   spout_config.scheme = StringScheme.new
 
-  class SplitStringBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
-    on_receive {|tuple| tuple.getString(0).split.map{|w| [w]}}
+  class SplitStringBolt < RedStorm::DSL::Bolt
+    on_receive {|tuple| tuple[0].split.map{|w| [w]}}
   end
 
   spout KafkaSpout, [spout_config]
diff --git a/examples/simple/random_sentence_spout.rb b/examples/dsl/random_sentence_spout.rb
similarity index 88%
rename from examples/simple/random_sentence_spout.rb
rename to examples/dsl/random_sentence_spout.rb
index 84bff0e..bc37bae 100644
--- a/examples/simple/random_sentence_spout.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/random_sentence_spout.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ require 'red_storm'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
-    class RandomSentenceSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+    class RandomSentenceSpout < DSL::Spout
       output_fields :word
 
       on_send {@sentences[rand(@sentences.length)]}
diff --git a/examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb b/examples/dsl/redis_word_count_topology.rb
similarity index 81%
rename from examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb
rename to examples/dsl/redis_word_count_topology.rb
index 6bedb18..9323584 100644
--- a/examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/redis_word_count_topology.rb
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 require 'red_storm'
-require 'examples/simple/word_count_bolt'
+require 'examples/dsl/word_count_bolt'
 require 'redis'
 require 'thread'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
 
-    # RedisWordSpout reads the Redis queue "test" on localhost:6379 
+    # RedisWordSpout reads the Redis queue "test" on localhost:6379
     # and emits each word items pop'ed from the queue.
 
-    class RedisWordSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+    class RedisWordSpout < DSL::Spout
       output_fields :word
 
       on_send {@q.pop.to_s if @q.size > 0}
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ module RedStorm
         @q = Queue.new
         @redis_reader = detach_redis_reader
       end
-      
+
       private
 
       def detach_redis_reader
@@ -35,16 +35,15 @@ module RedStorm
       end
     end
 
-    class RedisWordCountTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
+    class RedisWordCountTopology < DSL::Topology
       spout RedisWordSpout
-          
+
       bolt WordCountBolt, :parallelism => 3 do
         source RedisWordSpout, :fields => ["word"]
       end
 
       configure do |env|
         debug true
-        # set "topology.worker.childopts", "-Djruby.compat.version=RUBY1_9"
         case env
         when :local
           max_task_parallelism 3
diff --git a/examples/simple/ruby_version_topology.rb b/examples/dsl/ruby_version_topology.rb
similarity index 60%
rename from examples/simple/ruby_version_topology.rb
rename to examples/dsl/ruby_version_topology.rb
index d8cbfb1..a0d8916 100644
--- a/examples/simple/ruby_version_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/ruby_version_topology.rb
@@ -4,27 +4,23 @@ require 'red_storm'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
-    class VersionSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+    class VersionSpout < DSL::Spout
       output_fields :dummy
       on_init do
+        log.info("***************** REDSTORM VERSION=#{VERSION}")
         log.info("***************** RUBY_VERSION=#{RUBY_VERSION}")
         log.info("***************** JRUBY_VERSION=#{JRUBY_VERSION}")
-        log.info("***************** VERSION=#{VERSION}")
         log.info("***************** RUBY_ENGINE=#{RUBY_ENGINE}")
         log.info("***************** RUBY_PLATFORM=#{RUBY_PLATFORM}")
       end
       on_send {}
     end
 
-    class RubyVersionTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
+    class RubyVersionTopology < DSL::Topology
       spout VersionSpout
-            
-      configure do |env|
-        debug true
 
-        # force the JRuby version property for this topology. this will only affect remote cluster execution
-        # for local execution use the --1.8|--1.9 switch when launching
-        # set "topology.worker.childopts", "-Djruby.compat.version=RUBY1_9"
+      configure do |env|
+        debug false
       end
 
       on_submit do |env|
diff --git a/examples/simple/split_sentence_bolt.rb b/examples/dsl/split_sentence_bolt.rb
similarity index 60%
rename from examples/simple/split_sentence_bolt.rb
rename to examples/dsl/split_sentence_bolt.rb
index 13136fc..0ef330f 100644
--- a/examples/simple/split_sentence_bolt.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/split_sentence_bolt.rb
@@ -2,31 +2,31 @@ require 'red_storm'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
-    class SplitSentenceBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
+    class SplitSentenceBolt < DSL::Bolt
       output_fields :word
 
       # block declaration style using auto-emit (default)
       #
-      on_receive {|tuple| tuple.getString(0).split(' ').map{|w| [w]}}
+      on_receive {|tuple| tuple[0].split(' ').map{|w| [w]}}
 
       # block declaration style no auto-emit
       #
-      # on_receive :emit => false do |tuple| 
-      #   tuple.getString(0).split(' ').each{|w| unanchored_emit(w)}
+      # on_receive :emit => false do |tuple|
+      #   tuple[0].split(' ').each{|w| unanchored_emit(w)}
       # end
 
       # alternate declaration style using on_receive method
       #
       # on_receive :emit => true
       # def on_receive(tuple)
-      #   tuple.getString(0).split(' ').map{|w| [w]}
+      #   tuple[0].split(' ').map{|w| [w]}
       # end
 
       # alternate declaration style using any specific method
       #
       # on_receive :my_method, :emit => true
       # def my_method(tuple)
-      #   tuple.getString(0).split(' ').map{|w| [w]}
+      #   tuple[0].split(' ').map{|w| [w]}
       # end
     end
   end
diff --git a/examples/simple/word_count_bolt.rb b/examples/dsl/word_count_bolt.rb
similarity index 79%
rename from examples/simple/word_count_bolt.rb
rename to examples/dsl/word_count_bolt.rb
index 0b5a858..7593549 100644
--- a/examples/simple/word_count_bolt.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/word_count_bolt.rb
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ require 'red_storm'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
-    class WordCountBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
+    class WordCountBolt < DSL::Bolt
       output_fields :word, :count
       on_init {@counts = Hash.new{|h, k| h[k] = 0}}
 
       # block declaration style using auto-emit (default)
       #
       on_receive do |tuple|
-        word = tuple.getValue(0).to_s
+        word = tuple[0].to_s
         @counts[word] += 1
 
         [word, @counts[word]]
diff --git a/examples/simple/word_count_topology.rb b/examples/dsl/word_count_topology.rb
similarity index 76%
rename from examples/simple/word_count_topology.rb
rename to examples/dsl/word_count_topology.rb
index 48abf78..ff2fef9 100644
--- a/examples/simple/word_count_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/dsl/word_count_topology.rb
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 require 'red_storm'
-require 'examples/simple/random_sentence_spout'
-require 'examples/simple/split_sentence_bolt'
-require 'examples/simple/word_count_bolt'
+require 'examples/dsl/random_sentence_spout'
+require 'examples/dsl/split_sentence_bolt'
+require 'examples/dsl/word_count_bolt'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
-    class WordCountTopology < SimpleTopology
+    class WordCountTopology < DSL::Topology
       spout RandomSentenceSpout, :parallelism => 2
-      
+
       bolt SplitSentenceBolt, :parallelism => 2 do
         source RandomSentenceSpout, :shuffle
       end
-      
+
       bolt WordCountBolt, :parallelism => 2 do
         source SplitSentenceBolt, :fields => ["word"]
       end
diff --git a/examples/shell/shell_topology.rb b/examples/shell/shell_topology.rb
index 108b51c..d7ff3f2 100644
--- a/examples/shell/shell_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/shell/shell_topology.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ require 'thread'
 
 java_import 'redstorm.storm.jruby.JRubyShellBolt'
 
-class SimpleSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+class SimpleSpout < RedStorm::DSL::Spout
   on_init do
     @q = Queue.new
     @q << "the quick red fox"
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class SimpleSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
   end
 end
 
-class ShellTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
+class ShellTopology < RedStorm::DSL::Topology
   spout SimpleSpout do
     output_fields :string
   end
diff --git a/examples/simple/exclamation_bolt.rb b/examples/simple/exclamation_bolt.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index f24035f..0000000
--- a/examples/simple/exclamation_bolt.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-require 'red_storm'
-
-module RedStorm
-  module Examples
-    class ExclamationBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
-      output_fields :word
-      on_receive(:ack => true, :anchor => true) {|tuple| tuple.getString(0) + "!!!"}
-    end
-  end
-end
diff --git a/test/topology/basic_topology.rb b/test/topology/basic_topology.rb
index 693aa34..590a071 100644
--- a/test/topology/basic_topology.rb
+++ b/test/topology/basic_topology.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ require 'red_storm'
 require 'thread'
 require 'redis'
 
-class SingleTupleSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+class SingleTupleSpout < RedStorm::DSL::Spout
   output_fields :string
 
   on_init do
@@ -17,16 +17,16 @@ class SingleTupleSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
   end
 end
 
-class RedisPushBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
+class RedisPushBolt < RedStorm::DSL::Bolt
   on_init {@redis = Redis.new(:host => "localhost", :port => 6379)}
 
   on_receive :emit => false do |tuple|
-    data = tuple.getValue(0).to_s
+    data = tuple[0].to_s
     @redis.lpush(File.basename(__FILE__), data)
   end
 end
 
-class BasicTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
+class BasicTopology < RedStorm::DSL::Topology
   spout SingleTupleSpout, :parallelism => 1
 
   bolt RedisPushBolt, :parallelism => 1 do
diff --git a/test/topology/reliable_topology.rb b/test/topology/reliable_topology.rb
index ab412b5..4140cdf 100644
--- a/test/topology/reliable_topology.rb
+++ b/test/topology/reliable_topology.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ require 'red_storm'
 require 'thread'
 require 'redis'
 
-class ReliableSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
+class ReliableSpout < RedStorm::DSL::Spout
   output_fields :string
 
   on_init do
@@ -36,30 +36,30 @@ class ReliableSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
   end
 end
 
-class AckBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
+class AckBolt < RedStorm::DSL::Bolt
   on_receive :emit => false do |tuple|
     ack(tuple)
   end
 end
 
-class ImplicitPassthruBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
+class ImplicitPassthruBolt < RedStorm::DSL::Bolt
   output_fields :string
 
   on_receive :emit => true, :ack => true, :anchor => true do |tuple|
-    tuple.getString(0)
+    tuple[0]
   end
 end
 
-class ExplicitPassthruBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
+class ExplicitPassthruBolt < RedStorm::DSL::Bolt
   output_fields :string
 
   on_receive :emit => false do |tuple|
-    anchored_emit(tuple, tuple.getString(0))
+    anchored_emit(tuple, tuple[0])
     ack(tuple)
   end
 end
 
-class ReliableTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
+class ReliableTopology < RedStorm::DSL::Topology
   spout ReliableSpout, :parallelism => 1
 
   bolt ImplicitPassthruBolt, :parallelism => 1 do