             console.warn "ref_to_char is undefined"
             return
 
+          # never knows…
+          if authorId == "length"
+            authorId = "_length"
+          if authorId in @_colors
+            color = @_colors[authorId]
+          else
+            @_colors.length++
+            color = @_graphicsPalette[@_colors.length%@_graphicsPalette.length]
+            @_colors[authorId]
+
           params =
             id: author
             index: position
-            text: author
+            text: author(authorId)
             color: "grey"
           @editor.setCursor params
         else

              # in the future, we could replace the cursors, with a y-selections
              #
              window.setTimeout(()->
                  event.object.delete(author)
                , 0)
              return
            else

  # @param author [String] the name of the local author
  constructor: (editor_name, editor_instance) ->
    @locker = new Locker()
    @_colors = {length: 0}
    @_graphicsPalette = ['#837DFA', '#FA7D7D','#7DFA87', '#DCE874']

    if editor_name? and editor_instance?
      @_bind_later =
