diff --git a/lib/BasicsC/terminal-utils-posix.c b/lib/BasicsC/terminal-utils-posix.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..58b50ced6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/BasicsC/terminal-utils-posix.c
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief terimnal utilities using ncurses
+///
+/// @file
+/// DISCLAIMER
+///
+/// Copyright 2004-2012 triagens GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+/// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+/// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+///
+///     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+///
+/// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+/// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+/// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+/// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+/// limitations under the License.
+///
+/// Copyright holder is triAGENS GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+///
+/// @author Esteban Lombeyda
+/// @author Copyright 2011-2012, triAGENS GmbH, Cologne, Germany
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#include "BasicsC/terminal-utils.h"
+
+#include <sys/ioctl.h>
+
+#ifdef TRI_HAVE_SYS_IOCTL_H
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// --SECTION--                                                  public functions
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @addtogroup Terminal
+/// @{
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief returns the columns width
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+int TRI_ColumnsWidth () {
+  unsigned short values[4];
+
+  int ret;
+  
+  ret = ioctl(0, TIOCGWINSZ, &values);    
+
+  return ret == -1 ? TRI_DEFAULT_COLUMNS : values[1];
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @}
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#endif
+
+// Local Variables:
+// mode: outline-minor
+// outline-regexp: "^\\(/// @brief\\|/// {@inheritDoc}\\|/// @addtogroup\\|// --SECTION--\\|/// @\\}\\)"
+// End: