diff --git a/application.py b/application.py
index 71d38d1..43bf940 100755
--- a/application.py
+++ b/application.py
@@ -857,26 +857,28 @@ class Application(object):
     def draw_nothing(self):
         self.win.addstr(self.y-1, 0, util.pad('', self.x - 1))
 
-def open_aes_file(path, nl, name=None, binary=False):
+def open_aes_file(path, name=None, binary=False):
     if os.path.isfile(path) or not os.path.exists(path):
         p = getpass.getpass("Please enter the AES password: ")
-        return buffer.AesBuffer(path, p, nl, name)
+        return buffer.AesBuffer(path, p, name)
     else:
         raise Exception, "can't open %r; unsupported file type" % path
-def open_plain_file(path, nl, name=None, binary=False):
+def open_plain_file(path, name=None, binary=False):
     if os.path.isfile(path) or not os.path.exists(path):
         if binary:
-            return buffer.Binary32Buffer(path, nl, name)
+            return buffer.Binary32Buffer(path, name)
         else:
-            return buffer.FileBuffer(path, nl, name)
+            return buffer.FileBuffer(path, name)
     elif os.path.isdir(path):
-        return buffer.DirBuffer(path, nl, name)
+        return buffer.DirBuffer(path, name)
     else:
         raise Exception, "can't open %r; unsupported file type" % path
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    ciphers   = { 'none': open_plain_file, 'aes': open_aes_file }
-    linetypes = { 'win': '\r\n', 'mac': '\r', 'unix': '\n' }
+    ciphers   = {
+        'none': open_plain_file,
+        'aes':  open_aes_file,
+    }
 
     # preprocess args
     argv = list(sys.argv[1:])
@@ -908,8 +910,6 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
                       help='decrypt and encrypt with CIPHER (default: none)')
     parser.add_option('-g', '--goto', dest='goto', metavar='NUM', type='int',
                       help='jump to line NUM of the first argument')
-    parser.add_option('-l', '--line-end', dest='linetype', metavar='TYPE',
-                      help='use TYPE (win,mac,unix) line endings (default: unix)')
     parser.add_option('-m', '--mode', dest='mode', metavar='MODE',
                       help='open arguments in MODE')
 
@@ -928,12 +928,6 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     if goto_line:
         opts.goto = goto_line
 
-    # figure out which kind of line types we're using
-    if opts.linetype not in linetypes:
-        sys.stderr.write('invalid linetype: %r' % opts.linetype)
-        sys.exit(1)
-    nl = linetypes[opts.linetype]
-
     # figure out what kind of file open function to use
     if opts.cipher not in ciphers:
         sys.stderr.write('invalid cipher: %r' % opts.cipher)
@@ -959,12 +953,12 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
             name = auxname
 
         try:
-            b = f(path, nl, name, opts.binary)
+            b = f(path, name, opts.binary)
             b.open()
         except buffer.BinaryDataException, e:
             if not opts.mode:
                 opts.mode = 'hex'
-            b = f(path, nl, name, True)
+            b = f(path, name, True)
             b.open()
 
         buffers.append(b)
diff --git a/buffer.py b/buffer.py
index 7b69be9..988dfdc 100644
--- a/buffer.py
+++ b/buffer.py
@@ -50,19 +50,38 @@ class DelMove(object):
 
 # abstract class
 class Buffer(object):
-    btype = 'generic'
-    def __init__(self, nl='\n', stack_limit=STACK_LIMIT):
-        assert nl in ('\n', '\r', '\r\n'), "Invalid line ending"
+    btype   = 'generic'
+    mac_re  = re.compile('\r(?!\n)')
+    unix_re = re.compile('(?<!\r)\n')
+    win_re  = re.compile('\r\n')
+    def __init__(self, stack_limit=STACK_LIMIT):
         self.lines       = [""]
         self.windows     = []
         self.undo_stack  = []
         self.redo_stack  = []
         self.stack_limit = stack_limit
-        self.nl          = nl
+        self.nl          = '\n'
         self.modified    = False
         self.highlights  = {}
         self.indentlvl   = 4
 
+    def _detect_nl_type(self, data):
+        mac_c  = len(self.mac_re.findall(data))
+        unix_c = len(self.unix_re.findall(data))
+        win_c  = len(self.win_re.findall(data))
+        if (unix_c and mac_c) or (unix_c and win_c) or (mac_c and win_c):
+            # warn the user?
+            #raise Exception, 'inconsistent line endings %r' % \
+            #    (data, [unix_c, mac_c, win_c])
+            pass
+
+        if unix_c >= win_c and unix_c >= mac_c:
+            return '\n'
+        elif mac_c >= win_c:
+            return '\r'
+        else:
+            return '\r\n'
+
     # basic file operation stuff
     def _open_file_r(self, path):
         path = os.path.realpath(path)
@@ -175,8 +194,8 @@ class Buffer(object):
         return n
     def num_lines(self):
         return len(self.lines)
-    def make_string(self, nl='\n'):
-        return nl.join(self.lines)
+    def make_string(self):
+        return self.nl.join(self.lines)
 
     # methods to be overridden by subclasses
     def name(self):
@@ -200,7 +219,7 @@ class Buffer(object):
                 raise Exception, "oh no! %r already exists" % path
 
         # create the string that we're going to write into the file
-        data = self.write_filter(self.make_string(nl=self.nl))
+        data = self.write_filter(self.make_string())
 
         # create a safe temporary path to write to, and write out data to it
         temp_path = self._temp_path()
@@ -339,8 +358,8 @@ class ScratchBuffer(Buffer):
 
 class DataBuffer(Buffer):
     btype = 'data'
-    def __init__(self, name, data, nl='\n'):
-        Buffer.__init__(self, nl)
+    def __init__(self, name, data):
+        Buffer.__init__(self)
         self._name = name
         self.lines = data.split("\n")
     def name(self):
@@ -361,8 +380,8 @@ class ConsoleBuffer(Buffer):
             b = object.__new__(ConsoleBuffer, *args, **kwargs)
             console = b
         return console
-    def __init__(self, nl='\n'):
-        Buffer.__init__(self, nl)
+    def __init__(self):
+        Buffer.__init__(self)
         self.clear()
     def clear(self):
         lines = ['Python Console\n',
@@ -385,9 +404,9 @@ class BinaryDataException(Exception):
 
 class FileBuffer(Buffer):
     btype = 'file'
-    def __init__(self, path, nl='\n', name=None):
+    def __init__(self, path, name=None):
         '''fb = FileBuffer(path)'''
-        Buffer.__init__(self, nl)
+        Buffer.__init__(self)
         self.path = os.path.realpath(path)
         self.checksum = None
         if name is None:
@@ -445,6 +464,7 @@ class FileBuffer(Buffer):
             self.store_checksum(data)
         else:
             data = ''
+        self.nl = self._detect_nl_type(data)
         data = self.read_filter(data)
         data = data.replace("\t", "    ")
         for i in range(0, min(len(data), 8)):
@@ -478,7 +498,7 @@ class FileBuffer(Buffer):
                 raise Exception, "oh no! %r has changed on-disk!" % self.path
 
         temp_path = self._temp_path()
-        data = self.make_string(nl=self.nl)
+        data = self.make_string()
         if self.windows[0].mode.savetabs:
             data = data.replace("    ", "\t")
             
@@ -501,9 +521,9 @@ class FileBuffer(Buffer):
 
 class AesBuffer(FileBuffer):
     btype = 'aesfile'
-    def __init__(self, path, password, nl='\n', name=None):
+    def __init__(self, path, password, name=None):
         '''fb = FileBuffer(path)'''
-        FileBuffer.__init__(self, path, nl, name)
+        FileBuffer.__init__(self, path, name)
         self.password = password
     def read_filter(self, data):
         return aes.decrypt_data(data, self.password)
@@ -518,9 +538,9 @@ class Binary32Buffer(FileBuffer):
     bytepad   = 1
     data      = None
     wordsize  = 4
-    def __init__(self, path, nl='\n', name=None):
+    def __init__(self, path, name=None):
         '''fb = FileBuffer(path)'''
-        FileBuffer.__init__(self, path, nl, name)
+        FileBuffer.__init__(self, path, name)
     def cursorx_to_datax(self, cy, cx):
         bytespace = 2 + self.bytepad
         groupspace = bytespace * self.groupsize - self.bytepad + self.grouppad
@@ -593,8 +613,8 @@ class Binary32Buffer(FileBuffer):
 
 class DirBuffer(Buffer):
     btype = 'dir'
-    def __init__(self, path, nl='\n', name=None):
-        Buffer.__init__(self, nl)
+    def __init__(self, path, name=None):
+        Buffer.__init__(self)
         self.path = os.path.realpath(path)
     def changed(self):
         return False
@@ -650,8 +670,8 @@ class DirBuffer(Buffer):
 
 class PathListBuffer(DirBuffer):
     btype = 'pathlist'
-    def __init__(self, name, paths, nl='\n'):
-        Buffer.__init__(self, nl)
+    def __init__(self, name, paths):
+        Buffer.__init__(self)
         self.paths = list(paths)
         self.path  = os.getcwd()
         self._name = name
@@ -721,12 +741,12 @@ class ColorDataBuffer(DataBuffer):
     btype    = 'colordata'
     modename = 'colortext'
     color_re = re.compile(r'\[([a-z:]+)\]')
-    def __init__(self, name, data, nl='\n'):
+    def __init__(self, name, data):
         data2 = ColorHighlighter.color_re.sub('', data)
         data2 = data2.replace('\\[', '[')
         data2 = data2.replace('\\]', ']')
         data2 = data2.replace('\\\\', '\\')
-        DataBuffer.__init__(self, name, data2, nl)
+        DataBuffer.__init__(self, name, data2)
         lines = data.split(self.nl)
         self.highlights = {
             'Colortext': ColorHighlighter(),