### SUBROUTINES ###
 
 plain() {
-	if [ ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
-		echo -e "    \033[1;1m$1\033[1;0m" >&2
+	local mesg=$1; shift
+	if [ -t 2 -a ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
+		printf "\033[1;37m    ${mesg}\033[0m\n" "$@" >&2
 	else
-		echo "    $1" >&2
+		printf "    ${mesg}\n" "$@" >&2
 	fi
 }
 
 msg() {
-	if [ ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
-		echo -e "\033[1;32m==>\033[1;0m \033[1;1m$1\033[1;0m" >&2
+	local mesg=$1; shift
+	if [ -t 2 -a ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
+		printf "\033[1;32m==>\033[1;37m ${mesg}\033[0m\n" "$@" >&2
 	else
-		echo "==> $1" >&2
+		printf "==> ${mesg}\n" "$@" >&2
 	fi
 }
 
 msg2() {
-	if [ ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
-		echo -e "   \033[1;34m->\033[1;0m \033[1;1m$1\033[1;0m" >&2
+	local mesg=$1; shift
+	if [ -t 2 -a ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
+		printf "\033[1;34m  ->\033[1;37m ${mesg}\033[0m\n" "$@" >&2
 	else
-		echo "   -> $1" >&2
+		printf "  -> ${mesg}\n" "$@" >&2
 	fi
 }
 
 warning() {
-	if [ ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
-		echo -e "\033[1;33m==> WARNING:\033[1;0m \033[1;1m$1\033[1;0m" >&2
+	local mesg=$1; shift
+	if [ -t 2 -a ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
+		printf "\033[1;33m==> $(gettext "WARNING:")\033[1;37m ${mesg}\033[0m\n" "$@" >&2
 	else
-		echo "==> WARNING: $1" >&2
+		printf "==> $(gettext "WARNING:") ${mesg}\n" "$@" >&2
 	fi
 }
 
 error() {
-	if [ ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
-		echo -e "\033[1;31m==> ERROR:\033[1;0m \033[1;1m$1\033[1;0m" >&2
+	local mesg=$1; shift
+	if [ -t 2 -a ! "$USE_COLOR" = "n" -a "$(check_buildenv color)" = "y" ]; then
+		printf "\033[1;31m==> $(gettext "ERROR:")\033[1;37m ${mesg}\033[0m\n" "$@" >&2
 	else
-		echo "==> ERROR: $1" >&2
+		printf "==> $(gettext "ERROR:") ${mesg}\n" "$@" >&2
+	fi
+}
+
+