diff --git a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-10-15-remote-repositories-over-ssh-design.md b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-10-15-remote-repositories-over-ssh-design.md
index c6f5428..e3525f7 100644
--- a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-10-15-remote-repositories-over-ssh-design.md
+++ b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-10-15-remote-repositories-over-ssh-design.md
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ one character, and no local folder with exactly that name exists. Every other te
 local folder. So `C:\code\x` and `C:/code/x` stay local, `./a:b` stays local, and a
 folder in the current folder named `notes:2024` stays local when it exists.
 
-A path on the server that starts with `~/` is handed to the server's shell with the
+A path on the server that is `~` or starts with `~/` is handed to the server's shell with the
 `~` outside the quotes, so the shell expands it to the home folder there.
 
 ## Running git
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ A path on the server that starts with `~/` is handed to the server's shell with
 
   ```
   ssh -o BatchMode=yes -o ConnectTimeout=10
+      -o ServerAliveInterval=5 -o ServerAliveCountMax=2
       -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPath=<socket> -o ControlPersist=10m
       user@myserver "git -C '/srv/app' 'log' '--format=…' …"
   ```
@@ -57,12 +58,18 @@ A path on the server that starts with `~/` is handed to the server's shell with
     has no terminal to ask in. Keys and the ssh agent work.
   - `ConnectTimeout=10`: a server that does not answer gives an error after 10 seconds
     instead of a window that waits for ever.
+  - `ServerAliveInterval=5`, `ServerAliveCountMax=2`: when a server stops answering
+    on a connection that is already open (also a shared one), ssh notices it in about
+    10 seconds and gives an error instead of waiting for ever.
   - `ControlMaster`, `ControlPath`, `ControlPersist`: the first command opens one
     connection and leaves it open; later commands go through it and cost about one
     network round trip each instead of a new login. The connection closes 10 minutes
     after the last command. The socket is `gites-%C` in the user's runtime folder
-    (`/run/user/<id>` on Linux), or in `/tmp` where there is none; `%C` is a hash ssh
-    makes from the host, port and user, so the path stays short.
+    (`/run/user/<id>` on Linux). Where there is none (always on macOS), it is in a
+    `gites` folder in the user's cache folder, made so that only the user can open it;
+    never in `/tmp`. If neither folder can be found or made, these three options are
+    left out and every command opens a new connection. `%C` is a hash ssh makes from
+    the host, port and user, so the path stays short.
   - On Windows, ssh cannot share connections, so these three options are left out and
     every command opens a new connection.
 - Quoting: every word of the git command is put in single quotes, and a `'` inside a
@@ -107,6 +114,12 @@ If the connection drops while a repository is open, the next command shows its e
 as a message at the bottom of the window and the graph that is already on screen
 stays. The next reload connects again by itself.
 
+A message that reports an error stays for 8 seconds, or until it is clicked, and each
+hint line above stays on its own line. Other messages go after 1.8 seconds, as before.
+
+The commands that run git run away from the thread that draws the window, so the
+window does not freeze while it waits for a slow server.
+
 ## Tests
 
 - Reading locations: `host:/path`, `user@host:/path`, `host:~/x`, `C:\x`, `C:/x`, a
diff --git a/src/App.vue b/src/App.vue
index 937eaca..a345287 100644
--- a/src/App.vue
+++ b/src/App.vue
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ watch(
     if (!settingsLoaded) return;
     clearTimeout(settingsTimer);
     settingsTimer = window.setTimeout(() => {
-      invoke("save_settings", { value: { ...settings } }).catch((e) => showToast(`could not save settings: ${e}`));
+      invoke("save_settings", { value: { ...settings } }).catch((e) => showToast(`could not save settings: ${e}`, { error: true }));
     }, 300);
   },
   { deep: true },
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ async function load() {
     if (data) await applyRepo(data);
   } catch (e) {
     // A repository already on screen stays, for example when a connection drops.
-    if (repo.value) showToast(`could not reload: ${e}`);
+    if (repo.value) showToast(`could not reload: ${e}`, { error: true });
     else error.value = String(e);
   } finally {
     loading = false;
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ async function openRepo(path: string) {
     await applyRepo(await invoke<RepoData>("open_repo", { path }));
   } catch (e) {
     // The repository that was open stays open.
-    showToast(`could not open ${path}: ${e}`);
+    showToast(`could not open ${path}: ${e}`, { error: true });
   }
 }
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ watch(
       invoke("save_filters", {
         repo: repoRoot,
         value: { hidden: filters.hidden, rules: filters.rules, hideTags: filters.hideTags, collapseAll: collapseAll.value },
-      }).catch((e) => showToast(`could not save filters: ${e}`));
+      }).catch((e) => showToast(`could not save filters: ${e}`, { error: true }));
     }, 300);
   },
   { deep: true },
@@ -366,10 +366,17 @@ async function copyText(text: string) {
 // ---- actions -------------------------------------------------------------
 
 let toastTimer: number | undefined;
-function showToast(text: string) {
+/** Shows a short message. An error message stays longer, 8 seconds, so there is time to
+ *  read it; a click on any message closes it. */
+function showToast(text: string, { error = false } = {}) {
   toast.value = text;
   clearTimeout(toastTimer);
-  toastTimer = window.setTimeout(() => (toast.value = null), 1800);
+  toastTimer = window.setTimeout(() => (toast.value = null), error ? 8000 : 1800);
+}
+
+function closeToast() {
+  clearTimeout(toastTimer);
+  toast.value = null;
 }
 
 async function copyHash() {
@@ -653,7 +660,7 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
     </footer>
 
     <transition name="fade">
-      <div v-if="toast" class="toast">{{ toast }}</div>
+      <div v-if="toast" class="toast" @click="closeToast">{{ toast }}</div>
     </transition>
   </div>
 </template>
@@ -760,6 +767,11 @@ onUnmounted(() => {
   padding: 6px 14px;
   border-radius: 8px;
   box-shadow: 0 6px 24px #0008;
+  /* Keeps each line of a message on its own line, such as the hint under an ssh error. */
+  white-space: pre-line;
+  max-width: min(640px, calc(100vw - 32px));
+  overflow-wrap: anywhere;
+  cursor: pointer;
 }
 .fade-enter-active, .fade-leave-active { transition: opacity 0.2s; }
 .fade-enter-from, .fade-leave-to { opacity: 0; }
diff --git a/src/components/Welcome.vue b/src/components/Welcome.vue
index fe4d461..4c25c9e 100644
--- a/src/components/Welcome.vue
+++ b/src/components/Welcome.vue
@@ -56,7 +56,10 @@ const name = (p: string) => p.split(/[\\/]/).filter(Boolean).pop() ?? p;
         />
         <button v-else class="browse" @click="startTyping">Open on another machine…</button>
       </div>
-      <p class="hint">You can also start gites with a path: <code>gites ~/code/my-project</code></p>
+      <p class="hint">
+        You can also start gites with a path: <code>gites ~/code/my-project</code>,
+        or with a repository on another machine: <code>gites myserver:/srv/app</code>
+      </p>
     </div>
   </div>
 </template>