diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 61bf4bb1..7967e49d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ on:
       - dev
       - boilerplate
       - idiomatic
-      - update
-      - update.2
+      - update.3
+      - update.4
       - rc1
       - rc2
       - rc3
diff --git a/execute_performance_tests.sh b/execute_performance_tests.sh
index 69aed3cf..3f8763f6 100755
--- a/execute_performance_tests.sh
+++ b/execute_performance_tests.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,24 @@ ListOnly=0
 RunMake=1
 
 
+# ##########################################################
+# colours
+
+if command -v tput > /dev/null; then
+
+  SisClr_Blue=${FG_BLUE:-$(tput setaf 4)}
+  SisClr_Red=${FG_BLUE:-$(tput setaf 1)}
+  SisClr_Bold=${FD_BOLD:-$(tput bold)}
+  SisClr_None=${FD_NONE:-$(tput sgr0)}
+else
+
+  SisClr_Blue=
+  SisClr_Red=
+  SisClr_Bold=
+  SisClr_None=
+fi
+
+
 # ##########################################################
 # command-line handling
 
@@ -123,13 +141,13 @@ if [ $status -eq 0 ]; then
 
     if [ $ListOnly -ne 0 ]; then
 
-      echo "would execute $f:"
+      echo "would execute $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None:"
 
       continue
     fi
 
     echo
-    echo "executing $f:"
+    echo "executing $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None:"
 
     if [ $ExpandWidth -ne 0 ]; then
 
diff --git a/run_all_examples.sh b/run_all_examples.sh
index b9f90b02..d03e7dab 100755
--- a/run_all_examples.sh
+++ b/run_all_examples.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,24 @@ RunMake=1
 SkipInteractive=0
 
 
+# ##########################################################
+# colours
+
+if command -v tput > /dev/null; then
+
+  SisClr_Blue=${FG_BLUE:-$(tput setaf 4)}
+  SisClr_Red=${FG_BLUE:-$(tput setaf 1)}
+  SisClr_Bold=${FD_BOLD:-$(tput bold)}
+  SisClr_None=${FD_NONE:-$(tput sgr0)}
+else
+
+  SisClr_Blue=
+  SisClr_Red=
+  SisClr_Bold=
+  SisClr_None=
+fi
+
+
 # ##########################################################
 # helpers
 
@@ -195,12 +213,12 @@ if [ $status -eq 0 ]; then
 
       if [ $ListOnly -ne 0 ]; then
 
-        echo "would skip $f (interactive; --skip-interactive)"
+        echo "would skip $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None (interactive; --skip-interactive)"
 
       else
 
         echo
-        echo "skipping $f (interactive; --skip-interactive)"
+        echo "skipping $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None (interactive; --skip-interactive)"
       fi
 
       continue
@@ -208,13 +226,13 @@ if [ $status -eq 0 ]; then
 
     if [ $ListOnly -ne 0 ]; then
 
-      echo "would execute $f:"
+      echo "would execute $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None:"
 
       continue
     fi
 
     echo
-    echo "executing $f:"
+    echo "executing $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None:"
 
     if $f; then
 
diff --git a/run_all_scratch_tests.sh b/run_all_scratch_tests.sh
index dc6710a4..14626b2e 100755
--- a/run_all_scratch_tests.sh
+++ b/run_all_scratch_tests.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,24 @@ RunMake=1
 Verbosity=${XTESTS_VERBOSITY:-${TEST_VERBOSITY:-3}}
 
 
+# ##########################################################
+# colours
+
+if command -v tput > /dev/null; then
+
+  SisClr_Blue=${FG_BLUE:-$(tput setaf 4)}
+  SisClr_Red=${FG_BLUE:-$(tput setaf 1)}
+  SisClr_Bold=${FD_BOLD:-$(tput bold)}
+  SisClr_None=${FD_NONE:-$(tput sgr0)}
+else
+
+  SisClr_Blue=
+  SisClr_Red=
+  SisClr_Bold=
+  SisClr_None=
+fi
+
+
 # ##########################################################
 # command-line handling
 
@@ -123,7 +141,7 @@ if [ $status -eq 0 ]; then
 
     if [ $ListOnly -ne 0 ]; then
 
-      echo "would execute $f:"
+      echo "would execute $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None:"
 
       continue
     fi
@@ -134,7 +152,7 @@ if [ $status -eq 0 ]; then
     fi
     if [ $Verbosity -ge 2 ]; then
 
-      echo "executing $f:"
+      echo "executing $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None:"
     fi
 
     if $f; then
diff --git a/run_all_unit_tests.sh b/run_all_unit_tests.sh
index e4fa11b2..937dcc27 100755
--- a/run_all_unit_tests.sh
+++ b/run_all_unit_tests.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,24 @@ ComponentOnly=0
 Verbosity=${XTESTS_VERBOSITY:-${TEST_VERBOSITY:-3}}
 
 
+# ##########################################################
+# colours
+
+if command -v tput > /dev/null; then
+
+  SisClr_Blue=${FG_BLUE:-$(tput setaf 4)}
+  SisClr_Red=${FG_BLUE:-$(tput setaf 1)}
+  SisClr_Bold=${FD_BOLD:-$(tput bold)}
+  SisClr_None=${FD_NONE:-$(tput sgr0)}
+else
+
+  SisClr_Blue=
+  SisClr_Red=
+  SisClr_Bold=
+  SisClr_None=
+fi
+
+
 # ##########################################################
 # command-line handling
 
@@ -168,7 +186,7 @@ if [ $status -eq 0 ]; then
 
     if [ $ListOnly -ne 0 ]; then
 
-      echo "would execute $f:"
+      echo "would execute $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None:"
 
       continue
     fi
@@ -179,7 +197,7 @@ if [ $status -eq 0 ]; then
     fi
     if [ $Verbosity -ge 2 ]; then
 
-      echo "executing $f:"
+      echo "executing $SisClr_Blue$SisClr_Bold$f$SisClr_None:"
     fi
 
     if $f --verbosity=$Verbosity; then