diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d77b4f2..6fdcfbb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@ options:
 	@echo CC $<
 	@${CC} -c ${CFLAGS} $<

-${OBJ}: config.mk util.c
+${OBJ}: config.h config.mk util.c
+
+config.h:
+	@echo creating $@ from config.def.h
+	@cp config.def.h $@

 sic: ${OBJ}
 	@echo CC -o $@
diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5449fee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/* Host used when "-h" is not given */
+#define DEFAULT_HOST "irc.oftc.net"
+
+/* Port used when "-p" is not given */
+#define DEFAULT_PORT "6667"
+
+/* Timestamp format; see strftime(3). */
+#define TIMESTAMP_FORMAT "%Y-%m-%d %R"
+
+/* Command prefix character. In most IRC clients this is '/'. */
+#define COMMAND_PREFIX_CHARACTER ':'
+
+/* Parting message used when none is specified with ":l ..." command. */
+#define DEFAULT_PARTING_MESSAGE "sic - 250 LOC are too much!"
diff --git a/sic.c b/sic.c
index d93c2ec..e91a426 100644
--- a/sic.c
+++ b/sic.c
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@
 #include <time.h>
 #include <unistd.h>

-static char *host = "irc.oftc.net";
-static char *port = "6667";
+#include "config.h"
+
+static char *host = DEFAULT_HOST;
+static char *port = DEFAULT_PORT;
 static char *password;
 static char nick[32];
 static char bufin[4096];
@@ -22,7 +24,7 @@ static FILE *srv;

 static void
 pout(char *channel, char *fmt, ...) {
-	static char timestr[18];
+	static char timestr[80];
 	time_t t;
 	va_list ap;

@@ -30,7 +32,7 @@ pout(char *channel, char *fmt, ...) {
 	vsnprintf(bufout, sizeof bufout, fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 	t = time(NULL);
-	strftime(timestr, sizeof timestr, "%D %R", localtime(&t));
+	strftime(timestr, sizeof timestr, TIMESTAMP_FORMAT, localtime(&t));
 	fprintf(stdout, "%-12s: %s %s\n", channel, timestr, bufout);
 }

@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@ parsein(char *s) {
 	if(s[0] == '\0')
 		return;
 	skip(s, '\n');
-	if(s[0] != ':') {
+	if(s[0] != COMMAND_PREFIX_CHARACTER) {
 		privmsg(channel, s);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ parsein(char *s) {
 			if(*p)
 				*p++ = '\0';
 			if(!*p)
-				p = "sic - 250 LOC are too much!";
+				p = DEFAULT_PARTING_MESSAGE;
 			sout("PART %s :%s", s, p);
 			return;
 		case 'm':