diff --git a/src/lam/types.h b/src/lam/types.h
index 44b563f1a4..c66ce8486c 100644
--- a/src/lam/types.h
+++ b/src/lam/types.h
@@ -29,5 +29,11 @@ typedef struct lam_fd_set_t lam_fd_set_t;
 #define LAM_FD_CLR(fd,fds)   FD_CLR((fd),(fd_set*)(fds))
 #define LAM_FD_ISSET(fd,fds) FD_ISSET((fd),(fd_set*)(fds))
 
+/*
+ * handle to describe a parallel job
+ */
+typedef char* lam_job_handle_t;
+
+
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs.c b/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs.c
index 9247281f7c..93b03d1cdf 100644
--- a/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs.c
+++ b/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs.c
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #include "mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs.h"
 
 int
-mca_oob_cofs_send(char* parallel_job_id, int vpid, int tag, 
+mca_oob_cofs_send(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int vpid, int tag, 
                   void* data, size_t data_len)
 {
   return 0;
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ mca_oob_cofs_send(char* parallel_job_id, int vpid, int tag,
 
 
 int
-mca_oob_cofs_recv(char* parallel_job_id, int* tag, int* vpid, 
+mca_oob_cofs_recv(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int* tag, int* vpid, 
                   void** data, size_t* data_len)
 {
   return 0;
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ mca_oob_cofs_recv(char* parallel_job_id, int* tag, int* vpid,
 
 
 int
-mca_oob_cofs_recv_nb(char* parallel_job_id, int* tag, int* vpid, 
+mca_oob_cofs_recv_nb(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int* tag, int* vpid, 
                      void** data, size_t* data_len)
 {
   return 0;
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ mca_oob_cofs_recv_nb(char* parallel_job_id, int* tag, int* vpid,
 
 
 int
-mca_oob_cofs_recv_cb(char* parallel_job_id, int tag, 
+mca_oob_cofs_recv_cb(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int tag, 
                      mca_oob_recv_cb_t callback)
 {
   return 0;
diff --git a/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs.h b/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs.h
index 1be1b44370..d5e6c47d10 100644
--- a/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs.h
+++ b/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "mca/lam/oob/oob.h"
+#include "lam/types.h"
 
 /*
  * Module open / close
@@ -24,11 +25,11 @@ int mca_oob_cofs_finalize(void);
 /*
  * "Action" functions
  */
-int mca_oob_cofs_send(char* parallel_job_id, int vpid, int tag, 
+int mca_oob_cofs_send(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int vpid, int tag, 
                       void* data, size_t data_len);
-int mca_oob_cofs_recv(char* parallel_job_id, int* tag, int* vpid, 
+int mca_oob_cofs_recv(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int* tag, int* vpid, 
                       void** data, size_t* data_len);
-int mca_oob_cofs_recv_nb(char* parallel_job_id, int* tag, int* vpid, 
+int mca_oob_cofs_recv_nb(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int* tag, int* vpid, 
                          void** data, size_t* data_len);
-int mca_oob_cofs_recv_cb(char* parallel_job_id, int tag, 
+int mca_oob_cofs_recv_cb(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int tag, 
                          mca_oob_recv_cb_t callback);
diff --git a/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs_module.c b/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs_module.c
index 3d20b578a4..4f547ca109 100644
--- a/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs_module.c
+++ b/src/mca/lam/oob/cofs/src/oob_cofs_module.c
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ mca_oob_cofs_query(int *priority)
 struct mca_oob_1_0_0*
 mca_oob_cofs_init(void)
 {
+  /*
+   * BWB - fix me, make register the "right" way...
+   */
+  
   return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mca/lam/oob/oob.h b/src/mca/lam/oob/oob.h
index 71d921fb35..21825684b7 100644
--- a/src/mca/lam/oob/oob.h
+++ b/src/mca/lam/oob/oob.h
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@
 #include "lam_config.h"
 
 #include "mca/mca.h"
-
-#include <sys/types.h>
+#include "lam/types.h"
 
 /*
  * Global constants / types
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@
   /* "Special" vpids */
 #define MCA_OOB_MPIRUN  -1
 
-typedef void (*mca_oob_recv_cb_t)(char* parallel_job_id, int tag, 
+typedef void (*mca_oob_recv_cb_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int tag, 
                                   int vpid, void* data, size_t data_len, int status);
 
 
@@ -58,13 +57,13 @@ typedef void (*mca_oob_recv_cb_t)(char* parallel_job_id, int tag,
  */
 typedef int (*mca_oob_query_fn_t)(int *priority);
 typedef struct mca_oob_1_0_0* (*mca_oob_init_fn_t)(void);
-typedef int (*mca_oob_send_fn_t)(char* parallel_job_id, int vpid, int tag, 
+typedef int (*mca_oob_send_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int vpid, int tag, 
                                  void* data, size_t data_len);
-typedef int (*mca_oob_recv_fn_t)(char* parallel_job_id, int* tag, int* vpid, 
+typedef int (*mca_oob_recv_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int* tag, int* vpid, 
                                  void** data, size_t* data_len);
-typedef int (*mca_oob_recv_nb_fn_t)(char* parallel_job_id, int* tag, int* vpid, 
+typedef int (*mca_oob_recv_nb_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int* tag, int* vpid, 
                                     void** data, size_t* data_len);
-typedef int (*mca_oob_recv_cb_fn_t)(char* parallel_job_id, int tag, 
+typedef int (*mca_oob_recv_cb_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, int tag, 
                                     mca_oob_recv_cb_t callback);
 typedef int (*mca_oob_finalize_fn_t)(void);
 
@@ -114,8 +113,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /*
  * Global struct holding the selected module's function pointers
  */
-#if 0
 extern mca_oob_t mca_oob;
-#endif /* #if 0 */
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/mca/lam/pcm/pcm.h b/src/mca/lam/pcm/pcm.h
index c35a29db9d..38cd278d2b 100644
--- a/src/mca/lam/pcm/pcm.h
+++ b/src/mca/lam/pcm/pcm.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include "lam_config.h"
 
 #include "mca/mca.h"
+#include "lam/types.h"
 
 /*
  * "PCM" global types
@@ -74,8 +75,6 @@ typedef struct lam_pcm_control_args {
   char* value;
 } lam_pcm_control_args_t;
 
-typedef char* lam_pcm_job_handle_t;
-
 /*
  * functions every module must provide
  */
@@ -128,7 +127,7 @@ typedef int (*mca_pcm_query_get_nodes)(lam_pcm_node_t **nodes, size_t *nodes_len
    *
    * \warning The handle must be released using lam_pcm_handle_free
    */
-typedef lam_pcm_job_handle_t (*mca_pcm_handle_new_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t parent);
+typedef lam_job_handle_t (*mca_pcm_handle_new_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t parent);
 
 
   /**
@@ -141,18 +140,18 @@ typedef lam_pcm_job_handle_t (*mca_pcm_handle_new_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t par
    *
    * \warning The handle must be released using lam_pcm_handle_free
    */
-typedef lam_pcm_job_handle_t (*mca_pcm_handle_get_fn_t)(void);
+typedef lam_job_handle_t (*mca_pcm_handle_get_fn_t)(void);
 
 
   /**
    * Free a job handle
    *
-   * @param job_handle Poiner to a lam_pcm_job_handle_t
+   * @param job_handle Poiner to a lam_job_handle_t
    * 
    * Free a job handle returned by lam_pcm_handle_new or
    * lam_pcm_handle_get.
    */
-typedef void (*mca_pcm_handle_free_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t *job_handle);
+typedef void (*mca_pcm_handle_free_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t *job_handle);
 
 
   /**
@@ -168,7 +167,7 @@ typedef void (*mca_pcm_handle_free_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t *job_handle);
    * always return LAM_SUCCESS (yes) if called from mpirun.  Useful
    * for asking if MPI_SPAWN and friends can run.
    */
-typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_can_sapwn_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle);
+typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_can_sapwn_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle);
 
 
   /**
@@ -191,7 +190,7 @@ typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_can_sapwn_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle);
    * \Warning It is an error to call this function more than once on a single
    * job handle.
    */
-typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_set_arguments_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle, 
+typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_set_arguments_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, 
                                               lam_pcm_control_args_t* opts, 
                                               size_t opts_len);
 
@@ -221,7 +220,7 @@ typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_set_arguments_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle,
    * LAM_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED will be returned if the mca module does not
    * support spawning of new applications from
    */
-typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_launch_procs_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle, 
+typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_launch_procs_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, 
                                              lam_pcm_node_t *nodes, 
                                              size_t nodes_len, const char* file, 
                                              int argc, const char* argv[], 
@@ -244,7 +243,7 @@ typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_launch_procs_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle,
    * returns, it is safe to assume that all rendezvous is complete
    * (ie, you can exit and not mess anything up
    */
-typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_rendezvous_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle);
+typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_rendezvous_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle);
 
 
   /**
@@ -259,7 +258,7 @@ typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_rendezvous_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle);
    * on a job at termination, as job results will be expunged over
    * time as resource limits dictate.
    */
-typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_wait_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle);
+typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_wait_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle);
 
 
   /**
@@ -274,7 +273,7 @@ typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_wait_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle);
    * Ask if job is running.  If job has recently finished, this does
    * not imply wait the pcm interface will call wait for you.
    */
-typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_running_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle, 
+typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_running_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t job_handle, 
                                         int* running);
 
 
@@ -292,7 +291,7 @@ typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_running_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t job_handle,
    *
    * \warning This function is not yet implemented.
    */
-typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_list_running_fn_t)(lam_pcm_job_handle_t **handles, 
+typedef int (*mca_pcm_job_list_running_fn_t)(lam_job_handle_t **handles, 
                                              size_t handles_len);