diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index abdae28..e4391a6 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ members = [
   "examples/counter_timer_gauge/",
   "examples/multi_outs/",
   "examples/aggregate_print/",
+  "examples/summary_print/",
   "examples/async_print/",
   "examples/custom_publish/",
   "examples/raw_log/",
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 926ac2b..564f1d4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -92,29 +92,31 @@ let _app_metrics = app_metrics(to_stdout()).with_async_queue(64);
 The async queue uses a Rust channel and a standalone thread.
 The current behavior is to block when full.
 
-Metric definitions can be cached to make using _ad-hoc metrics_ faster:
-```rust,skt-run
-let app_metrics = app_metrics(to_log().with_cache(512));
-app_metrics.gauge(format!("my_gauge_{}", 34)).value(44);
-```
-
-The preferred way is to _predefine metrics_,
-possibly in a [lazy_static!](https://crates.io/crates/lazy_static) block:
+For better performance and easy maintenance, metrics should usually be predefined:
 ```rust,skt-plain
+#[macro_use] extern crate dipstick;
 #[macro_use] extern crate lazy_static;
-extern crate dipstick;
-
 use dipstick::*;
 
-lazy_static! {
-    pub static ref METRICS: AppMetrics<String> = app_metrics(to_stdout());
-    pub static ref COUNTER_A: AppCounter<String> = METRICS.counter("counter_a");
-}
+app_metric!(String, APP_METRICS, app_metrics(to_stdout()));
+app_counter!(String, APP_METRICS, {
+    COUNTER_A: "counter_a",
+});
 
 fn main() {
     COUNTER_A.count(11);
 }
 ```
+Metric definition macros are just `lazy_static!` wrappers.
+
+
+Where necessary, metrics can be defined _ad-hoc_:
+```rust,skt-run
+let user_name = "john_day";
+let app_metrics = app_metrics(to_log().with_cache(512));
+app_metrics.gauge(format!("gauge_for_user_{}", user_name)).value(44);
+```
+Defining a cache is optional but will speed up re-definition of common ad-hoc metrics.
 
 Timers can be used multiple ways:
 ```rust,skt-run
diff --git a/examples/aggregate_print/src/main.rs b/examples/aggregate_print/src/main.rs
index 99f2e7a..6009cd4 100644
--- a/examples/aggregate_print/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/aggregate_print/src/main.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use std::time::Duration;
 use dipstick::*;
 
 fn main() {
-    let to_aggregate = aggregate(summary, to_stdout());
+    let to_aggregate = aggregate(all_stats, to_stdout());
 
     let app_metrics = app_metrics(to_aggregate);
 
diff --git a/examples/async_print/src/main.rs b/examples/async_print/src/main.rs
index 0155d39..832d212 100644
--- a/examples/async_print/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/async_print/src/main.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ fn main() {
     let counter = metrics.counter("counter_a");
     let timer = metrics.timer("timer_b");
 
-    let subsystem_metrics = metrics.with_prefix("subsystem.");
+    let subsystem_metrics = metrics.with_name("subsystem");
     let event = subsystem_metrics.marker("event_c");
     let gauge = subsystem_metrics.gauge("gauge_d");
 
diff --git a/examples/counter_timer_gauge/src/main.rs b/examples/counter_timer_gauge/src/main.rs
index 7eb809b..f9e4600 100644
--- a/examples/counter_timer_gauge/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/counter_timer_gauge/src/main.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ fn main() {
     app_metrics.counter("just_once").count(4);
 
     // metric names can be prepended with a common prefix
-    let prefixed_metrics = app_metrics.with_prefix("subsystem.");
+    let prefixed_metrics = app_metrics.with_name("subsystem".to_string());
     let event = prefixed_metrics.marker("event_c");
     let gauge = prefixed_metrics.gauge("gauge_d");
 
diff --git a/examples/graphite/src/main.rs b/examples/graphite/src/main.rs
index 904a361..563baf5 100644
--- a/examples/graphite/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/graphite/src/main.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ fn main() {
 
     let metrics = app_metrics(
         to_graphite("localhost:2003").expect("Connecting")
-            .with_namespace(&["my", "app"]));
+            .with_namespace(&["my", "app"][..]));
 
     loop {
         metrics.counter("counter_a").count(123);
diff --git a/examples/multi_outs/src/main.rs b/examples/multi_outs/src/main.rs
index de28ace..3c92cd7 100644
--- a/examples/multi_outs/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/multi_outs/src/main.rs
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ fn main() {
     let same_type_metrics = app_metrics(
         &[
             // use slices to combine multiple metrics of the same type
-            to_stdout().with_prefix("yeah"),
-            to_stdout().with_prefix("ouch"),
+            to_stdout().with_name("yeah"),
+            to_stdout().with_name("ouch"),
             to_stdout().with_sampling_rate(0.5),
         ][..],
     );
diff --git a/examples/summary_print/Cargo.toml b/examples/summary_print/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1447e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/summary_print/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[package]
+name = "summary_print"
+version = "0.0.0"
+workspace = "../../"
+
+[dependencies]
+dipstick = { path = '../../' }
diff --git a/examples/summary_print/src/main.rs b/examples/summary_print/src/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99f2e7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/summary_print/src/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+//! A sample application continuously aggregating metrics,
+//! printing the summary stats every three seconds
+
+extern crate dipstick;
+
+use std::time::Duration;
+use dipstick::*;
+
+fn main() {
+    let to_aggregate = aggregate(summary, to_stdout());
+
+    let app_metrics = app_metrics(to_aggregate);
+
+    app_metrics.flush_every(Duration::from_secs(3));
+
+    let counter = app_metrics.counter("counter_a");
+    let timer = app_metrics.timer("timer_a");
+    let gauge = app_metrics.gauge("gauge_a");
+    let marker = app_metrics.marker("marker_a");
+
+    loop {
+        // add counts forever, non-stop
+        counter.count(11);
+        counter.count(12);
+        counter.count(13);
+
+        timer.interval_us(11_000_000);
+        timer.interval_us(12_000_000);
+        timer.interval_us(13_000_000);
+
+        gauge.value(11);
+        gauge.value(12);
+        gauge.value(13);
+
+        marker.mark();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/app_metrics.rs b/src/app_metrics.rs
index 68a6a06..fc45707 100644
--- a/src/app_metrics.rs
+++ b/src/app_metrics.rs
@@ -220,9 +220,9 @@ where
 }
 
 impl<M: Send + Sync + Clone + 'static> WithNamespace for AppMetrics<M> {
-    fn with_namespace(&self, nspace: &[&str]) -> Self {
+    fn with_name<IN: Into<Namespace>>(&self, names: IN) -> Self {
         AppMetrics {
-            chain: Arc::new(self.chain.with_namespace(nspace)),
+            chain: Arc::new(self.chain.with_name(names)),
             scope: self.scope.clone(),
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/async_queue.rs b/src/async_queue.rs
index 8debb39..322f224 100644
--- a/src/async_queue.rs
+++ b/src/async_queue.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::sync::mpsc;
 use std::thread;
 
-mod_metric!(Aggregate, QUEUE_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("async_queue"));
+mod_metrics!(Aggregate, QUEUE_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("async_queue"));
 mod_marker!(Aggregate, QUEUE_METRICS, { SEND_FAILED: "send_failed" });
 
 /// Enqueue collected metrics for dispatch on background thread.
diff --git a/src/core.rs b/src/core.rs
index 98fedb6..1dea59a 100644
--- a/src/core.rs
+++ b/src/core.rs
@@ -209,9 +209,9 @@ impl<M: Send + Sync + Clone + 'static> Chain<M> {
 
     /// Create a new metric chain with the provided metric definition and scope creation functions.
     pub fn new<MF, WF>(make_metric: MF, make_scope: WF) -> Self
-    where
-        MF: Fn(Kind, &str, Rate) -> M + Send + Sync + 'static,
-        WF: Fn(bool) -> ControlScopeFn<M> + Send + Sync + 'static,
+        where
+            MF: Fn(Kind, &str, Rate) -> M + Send + Sync + 'static,
+            WF: Fn(bool) -> ControlScopeFn<M> + Send + Sync + 'static,
     {
         Chain {
             // capture the provided closures in Arc to provide cheap clones
@@ -246,8 +246,8 @@ impl<M: Send + Sync + Clone + 'static> Chain<M> {
 
     /// Intercept metric definition without changing the metric type.
     pub fn mod_metric<MF>(&self, mod_fn: MF) -> Chain<M>
-    where
-        MF: Fn(DefineMetricFn<M>) -> DefineMetricFn<M>,
+        where
+            MF: Fn(DefineMetricFn<M>) -> DefineMetricFn<M>,
     {
         Chain {
             define_metric_fn: mod_fn(self.define_metric_fn.clone()),
@@ -257,9 +257,9 @@ impl<M: Send + Sync + Clone + 'static> Chain<M> {
 
     /// Intercept both metric definition and scope creation, possibly changing the metric type.
     pub fn mod_both<MF, N>(&self, mod_fn: MF) -> Chain<N>
-    where
-        MF: Fn(DefineMetricFn<M>, OpenScopeFn<M>) -> (DefineMetricFn<N>, OpenScopeFn<N>),
-        N: Clone + Send + Sync,
+        where
+            MF: Fn(DefineMetricFn<M>, OpenScopeFn<M>) -> (DefineMetricFn<N>, OpenScopeFn<N>),
+            N: Clone + Send + Sync,
     {
         let (metric_fn, scope_fn) =
             mod_fn(self.define_metric_fn.clone(), self.scope_metric_fn.clone());
@@ -271,8 +271,8 @@ impl<M: Send + Sync + Clone + 'static> Chain<M> {
 
     /// Intercept scope creation.
     pub fn mod_scope<MF>(&self, mod_fn: MF) -> Self
-    where
-        MF: Fn(OpenScopeFn<M>) -> OpenScopeFn<M>,
+        where
+            MF: Fn(OpenScopeFn<M>) -> OpenScopeFn<M>,
     {
         Chain {
             define_metric_fn: self.define_metric_fn.clone(),
@@ -391,4 +391,3 @@ impl<M: Clone> ScopeTimer<M> {
         value
     }
 }
-
diff --git a/src/dispatch.rs b/src/dispatch.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0eedeb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dispatch.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+use core::*;
+use chain::*;
+use std::collections::{HashMap, LinkedList};
+
+pub struct MetricHandle (usize);
+
+pub struct ScopeHandle (usize);
+
+pub trait Observer {
+    /// Register a new metric.
+    /// Only one metric of a certain name will be defined.
+    /// Observer must return a MetricHandle that uniquely identifies the metric.
+    fn metric_create(&self, kind: Kind, name: &str, rate: Rate) -> MetricHandle;
+
+    /// Drop a previously registered metric.
+    /// Drop is called once per handle.
+    /// Dropped handle will never be used again.
+    /// Drop is only called with previously registered handles.
+    fn metric_drop(&self, metric: MetricHandle);
+
+    /// Open a new scope.
+    /// Observer must return a new ScopeHandle that uniquely identifies the scope.
+    fn scope_open(&self, buffered: bool) -> ScopeHandle;
+
+    /// Write metric value to a scope.
+    /// Observers only receive previously registered handles.
+    fn scope_write(&self, scope: ScopeHandle, metric: MetricHandle, value:Value);
+
+    /// Flush a scope.
+    /// Observers only receive previously registered handles.
+    fn scope_flush(&self, scope: ScopeHandle);
+
+    /// Drop a previously registered scope.
+    /// Drop is called once per handle.
+    /// Dropped handle will never be used again.
+    /// Drop is only called with previously registered handles.
+    fn scope_close(&self, scope: ScopeHandle);
+}
+
+pub struct ChainObserver<T> {
+    chain: Chain<T>
+}
+
+impl<T> Observer for ChainObserver<T> {
+    fn metric_create(&self, kind: Kind, name: &str, rate: Rate) -> MetricHandle {
+        self.chain.define_metric(kind, name, rate)
+    }
+
+    fn metric_drop(&self, metric: MetricHandle) {}
+
+    fn scope_open(&self, buffered: bool) -> ScopeHandle {}
+    fn scope_write(&self, scope: ScopeHandle, metric: MetricHandle, value:Value) {}
+    fn scope_flush(&self, scope: ScopeHandle) {}
+    fn scope_close(&self, scope: ScopeHandle) {}
+}
+
+pub struct Dispatcher {
+    active_observers: usize,
+    metrics: HashMap<String, Dispatch>,
+    observers: RwLock<Vec<Observer>>
+}
+
+/// Aggregate metrics in memory.
+/// Depending on the type of metric, count, sum, minimum and maximum of values will be tracked.
+/// Needs to be connected to a publish to be useful.
+/// ```
+/// use dipstick::*;
+/// let sink = aggregate(4, summary, to_stdout());
+/// let metrics = global_metrics(sink);
+/// metrics.marker("my_event").mark();
+/// metrics.marker("my_event").mark();
+/// ```
+pub fn dispatch<E, M>(stat_fn: E, to_chain: Chain<M>) -> Chain<Dispatch>
+    where
+        E: Fn(Kind, &str, ScoreType) -> Option<(Kind, Vec<&str>, Value)> + Send + Sync + 'static,
+        M: Clone + Send + Sync + Debug + 'static,
+{
+    let metrics = Arc::new(RwLock::new(HashMap::new()));
+    let metrics0 = metrics.clone();
+
+    let publish = Arc::new(Publisher::new(stat_fn, to_chain));
+
+    Chain::new(
+        move |kind, name, _rate| {
+            // add metric
+        },
+        move |_buffered| {
+            // open scope
+            ControlScopeFn::new(move |cmd| match cmd {
+                ScopeCmd::Write(metric, value) => {
+                    let metric: &Aggregate = metric;
+                    metric.update(value)
+                },
+                ScopeCmd::Flush => {
+                    let metrics = metrics.read().expect("Locking metrics scoreboards");
+                    let snapshot = metrics.values().flat_map(|score| score.reset()).collect();
+                    publish.publish(snapshot);
+                }
+            })
+        },
+    )
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/graphite.rs b/src/graphite.rs
index 8524385..86f2351 100644
--- a/src/graphite.rs
+++ b/src/graphite.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use std::fmt::Debug;
 
 use socket::RetrySocket;
 
-mod_metric!(Aggregate, GRAPHITE_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("graphite"));
+mod_metrics!(Aggregate, GRAPHITE_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("graphite"));
 mod_marker!(Aggregate, GRAPHITE_METRICS, {
     SEND_ERR: "send_failed",
     TRESHOLD_EXCEEDED: "bufsize_exceeded",
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 02da545..5b03f3e 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -33,11 +33,14 @@ mod lru_cache;
 
 pub mod error;
 
+#[macro_use]
+pub mod macros;
+
 pub mod core;
 pub use core::*;
 
-#[macro_use]
-pub mod macros;
+//pub mod dispatch;
+//pub use dispatch::*;
 
 mod output;
 pub use output::*;
diff --git a/src/macros.rs b/src/macros.rs
index 9074862..39e5b50 100644
--- a/src/macros.rs
+++ b/src/macros.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ macro_rules! time {
 
 /// Define application-scoped metrics.
 #[macro_export]
-macro_rules! app_metric {
+macro_rules! app_metrics {
     ($type_param: ty, $metric_id: ident = $app_metrics: expr) => {
         lazy_static! { pub static ref $metric_id: AppMetrics<$type_param> = $app_metrics; }
     };
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ macro_rules! app_timer {
 
 /// Define module-scoped metrics.
 #[macro_export]
-macro_rules! mod_metric {
+macro_rules! mod_metrics {
     ($type_param: ty, $metric_id: ident = $mod_metrics: expr) => {
         lazy_static! { static ref $metric_id: AppMetrics<$type_param> = $mod_metrics; }
     };
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ macro_rules! mod_timer {
 mod test_app {
     use self_metrics::*;
 
-    app_metric!(Aggregate, TEST_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("test_prefix"));
+    app_metrics!(Aggregate, TEST_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("test_prefix"));
 
     app_marker!(Aggregate, TEST_METRICS, {
         M1: "failed",
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ mod test_app {
 mod test_mod {
     use self_metrics::*;
 
-    mod_metric!(Aggregate, TEST_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("test_prefix"));
+    mod_metrics!(Aggregate, TEST_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("test_prefix"));
 
     mod_marker!(Aggregate, TEST_METRICS, {
         M1: "failed",
diff --git a/src/namespace.rs b/src/namespace.rs
index 49ae798..f729279 100644
--- a/src/namespace.rs
+++ b/src/namespace.rs
@@ -3,26 +3,72 @@ use core::*;
 
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
+const DEFAULT_SEPARATOR: &'static str = ".";
+
+/// A list of parts of a metric's name.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct Namespace (Vec<String>);
+
+impl Namespace {
+    /// Make this namespace a subspace of the parent.
+    pub fn subspace_of(self, parent: &Namespace) -> Self {
+        Namespace([parent.0.clone(), self.0].concat())
+    }
+
+    /// Combine name parts into a string.
+    pub fn join(&self, separator: &str) -> String {
+        self.0.join(separator)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> From<&'a str> for Namespace {
+    fn from(name: &'a str) -> Namespace {
+        Namespace(vec![name.to_string()])
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<String> for Namespace {
+    fn from(name: String) -> Namespace {
+        Namespace(vec![name])
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a, 'b: 'a> From<&'b [&'a str]> for Namespace {
+    fn from(names: &'a [&'a str]) -> Namespace {
+        Namespace(names.iter().map(|n| n.to_string()).collect())
+    }
+}
+
+
 /// Prepend metric names with custom prefix.
 pub trait WithNamespace
 where
     Self: Sized,
 {
     /// Insert prefix in newly defined metrics.
+//    #[deprecated(since = "0.6.3", note = "Use `with_name` instead.")]
     fn with_prefix<AS: AsRef<str>>(&self, prefix: AS) -> Self {
         self.with_namespace(&[prefix.as_ref()])
     }
 
     /// Join namespace and prepend in newly defined metrics.
-    fn with_namespace(&self, names: &[&str]) -> Self;
+//    #[deprecated(since = "0.6.3", note = "Use `with_name` instead.")]
+    fn with_namespace(&self, names: &[&str]) -> Self {
+        self.with_name(names)
+    }
+
+    /// Join namespace and prepend in newly defined metrics.
+    fn with_name<IN: Into<Namespace>>(&self, names: IN) -> Self;
+
 }
 
 impl<M: Send + Sync + Clone + 'static> WithNamespace for Chain<M> {
-    fn with_namespace(&self, names: &[&str]) -> Self {
+    fn with_name<IN: Into<Namespace>>(&self, names: IN) -> Self {
+        let ninto = names.into();
         self.mod_metric(|next| {
-            let nspace = names.join(".");
+            let nspace = ninto.join(DEFAULT_SEPARATOR);
             Arc::new(move |kind, name, rate| {
-                let name = [nspace.as_ref(), name].join(".");
+                let name = [nspace.as_ref(), name].join(DEFAULT_SEPARATOR);
                 (next)(kind, name.as_ref(), rate)
             })
         })
@@ -31,7 +77,7 @@ impl<M: Send + Sync + Clone + 'static> WithNamespace for Chain<M> {
 
 /// deprecated, use with_prefix() omitting any previously supplied separator
 #[deprecated(since = "0.5.0",
-             note = "Use `with_prefix` instead, omitting any previously supplied separator.")]
+             note = "Use `with_name` instead, omitting any previously supplied separator.")]
 pub fn prefix<M, IC>(prefix: &str, chain: IC) -> Chain<M>
 where
     M: Clone + Send + Sync + 'static,
diff --git a/src/scores.rs b/src/scores.rs
index e3e7f52..5a264e5 100644
--- a/src/scores.rs
+++ b/src/scores.rs
@@ -99,11 +99,14 @@ impl Scoreboard {
         if self.snapshot(now, &mut scores) {
             let duration_seconds = (now - scores[0]) as f64 / 1_000_000_000.0;
 
+            println!("duration {}s", duration_seconds);
+            println!("rate {}/s", scores[2] as f64 / duration_seconds);
+
             let mut snapshot = Vec::new();
             match self.kind {
                 Marker => {
                     snapshot.push(Count(scores[1] as u64));
-                    snapshot.push(Rate(scores[2] as f64 / duration_seconds))
+                    snapshot.push(Rate(scores[1] as f64 / duration_seconds))
                 }
                 Gauge => {
                     snapshot.push(Max(scores[3] as u64));
diff --git a/src/self_metrics.rs b/src/self_metrics.rs
index 7ef2b3f..0350714 100644
--- a/src/self_metrics.rs
+++ b/src/self_metrics.rs
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@ fn build_self_metrics() -> AppMetrics<Aggregate> {
 lazy_static! { static ref AGGREGATOR: Chain<Aggregate> = build_aggregator(); }
 
 /// Application metrics are collected to the aggregator
-app_metric!(Aggregate, DIPSTICK_METRICS = build_self_metrics());
+app_metrics!(Aggregate, DIPSTICK_METRICS = build_self_metrics());
diff --git a/src/statsd.rs b/src/statsd.rs
index 5af05e0..61f2169 100644
--- a/src/statsd.rs
+++ b/src/statsd.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use std::sync::{Arc, RwLock};
 
 pub use std::net::ToSocketAddrs;
 
-mod_metric!(Aggregate, STATSD_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("statsd"));
+mod_metrics!(Aggregate, STATSD_METRICS = DIPSTICK_METRICS.with_prefix("statsd"));
 mod_marker!(Aggregate, STATSD_METRICS, { SEND_ERR: "send_failed" });
 mod_counter!(Aggregate, STATSD_METRICS, { SENT_BYTES: "sent_bytes" });