diff --git a/common/util.rs b/common/util.rs
index 90deafb80..a0f95593a 100644
--- a/common/util.rs
+++ b/common/util.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,22 @@ macro_rules! show_error(
     })
 )
 
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! show_warning(
+    ($($args:expr),+) => ({
+        safe_write!(&mut ::std::io::stderr(), "{}: warning: ", ::NAME);
+        safe_writeln!(&mut ::std::io::stderr(), $($args),+);
+    })
+)
+
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! show_info(
+    ($($args:expr),+) => ({
+        safe_write!(&mut ::std::io::stderr(), "{}: ", ::NAME);
+        safe_writeln!(&mut ::std::io::stderr(), $($args),+);
+    })
+)
+
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! eprint(
     ($($args:expr),+) => (safe_write!(&mut ::std::io::stderr(), $($args),+))
@@ -29,14 +45,6 @@ macro_rules! eprintln(
     ($($args:expr),+) => (safe_writeln!(&mut ::std::io::stderr(), $($args),+))
 )
 
-#[macro_export]
-macro_rules! show_warning(
-    ($($args:expr),+) => ({
-        safe_write!(&mut ::std::io::stderr(), "{}: warning: ", ::NAME);
-        safe_writeln!(&mut ::std::io::stderr(), $($args),+);
-    })
-)
-
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! crash(
     ($exitcode:expr, $($args:expr),+) => ({
@@ -46,7 +54,6 @@ macro_rules! crash(
     })
 )
 
-
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! exit(
     ($exitcode:expr) => ({
diff --git a/wc/wc.rs b/wc/wc.rs
index 6d6fa5547..d3d3cf04d 100644
--- a/wc/wc.rs
+++ b/wc/wc.rs
@@ -236,13 +236,17 @@ fn open(path: String) -> StdResult<BufferedReader<Box<Reader>>, int> {
         return Ok(BufferedReader::new(reader));
     }
 
-    match File::open(&std::path::Path::new(path.as_slice())) {
+    let fpath = Path::new(path.as_slice());
+    if fpath.is_dir() {
+        show_info!("{}: is a directory", path);
+    }
+    match File::open(&fpath) {
         Ok(fd) => {
             let reader = box fd as Box<Reader>;
             Ok(BufferedReader::new(reader))
         },
         Err(e) => {
-            show_error!("wc: {0:s}: {1:s}", path, e.desc.to_string());
+            show_error!("wc: {}: {}", path, e);
             Err(1)
         }
     }