diff --git a/examples/CustomGraphItem.py b/examples/CustomGraphItem.py
index 695768e2..8e494c3a 100644
--- a/examples/CustomGraphItem.py
+++ b/examples/CustomGraphItem.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import numpy as np
 # Enable antialiasing for prettier plots
 pg.setConfigOptions(antialias=True)
 
-w = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+w = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 w.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: CustomGraphItem')
 v = w.addViewBox()
 v.setAspectLocked()
diff --git a/examples/GraphItem.py b/examples/GraphItem.py
index c6362295..094b84bd 100644
--- a/examples/GraphItem.py
+++ b/examples/GraphItem.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import numpy as np
 # Enable antialiasing for prettier plots
 pg.setConfigOptions(antialias=True)
 
-w = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+w = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 w.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: GraphItem')
 v = w.addViewBox()
 v.setAspectLocked()
diff --git a/examples/InfiniteLine.py b/examples/InfiniteLine.py
index 50efbd04..55020776 100644
--- a/examples/InfiniteLine.py
+++ b/examples/InfiniteLine.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import pyqtgraph as pg
 
 
 app = QtGui.QApplication([])
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow(title="Plotting items examples")
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True, title="Plotting items examples")
 win.resize(1000,600)
 
 # Enable antialiasing for prettier plots
diff --git a/examples/LogPlotTest.py b/examples/LogPlotTest.py
index d408a2b4..5ae9d17e 100644
--- a/examples/LogPlotTest.py
+++ b/examples/LogPlotTest.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import pyqtgraph as pg
 
 app = QtGui.QApplication([])
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow(title="Basic plotting examples")
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True, title="Basic plotting examples")
 win.resize(1000,600)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: LogPlotTest')
 
diff --git a/examples/PanningPlot.py b/examples/PanningPlot.py
index 165240b2..874bf330 100644
--- a/examples/PanningPlot.py
+++ b/examples/PanningPlot.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import pyqtgraph as pg
 from pyqtgraph.Qt import QtCore, QtGui
 import numpy as np
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: PanningPlot')
 
 plt = win.addPlot()
diff --git a/examples/PlotAutoRange.py b/examples/PlotAutoRange.py
index 46aa3a44..0e3cd422 100644
--- a/examples/PlotAutoRange.py
+++ b/examples/PlotAutoRange.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ app = QtGui.QApplication([])
 #mw = QtGui.QMainWindow()
 #mw.resize(800,800)
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow(title="Plot auto-range examples")
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True, title="Plot auto-range examples")
 win.resize(800,600)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: PlotAutoRange')
 
diff --git a/examples/Plotting.py b/examples/Plotting.py
index 44996ae5..130698a4 100644
--- a/examples/Plotting.py
+++ b/examples/Plotting.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ app = QtGui.QApplication([])
 #mw = QtGui.QMainWindow()
 #mw.resize(800,800)
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow(title="Basic plotting examples")
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True, title="Basic plotting examples")
 win.resize(1000,600)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: Plotting')
 
diff --git a/examples/ROIExamples.py b/examples/ROIExamples.py
index a48fa7b5..2b922359 100644
--- a/examples/ROIExamples.py
+++ b/examples/ROIExamples.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ arr[8:13, 44:46] = 10
 
 ## create GUI
 app = QtGui.QApplication([])
-w = pg.GraphicsWindow(size=(1000,800), border=True)
+w = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True, size=(1000,800), border=True)
 w.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: ROI Examples')
 
 text = """Data Selection From Image.<br>\n
diff --git a/examples/ROItypes.py b/examples/ROItypes.py
index 9e67ebe1..1a064d33 100644
--- a/examples/ROItypes.py
+++ b/examples/ROItypes.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ pg.setConfigOptions(imageAxisOrder='row-major')
 ## create GUI
 app = QtGui.QApplication([])
 
-w = pg.GraphicsWindow(size=(800,800), border=True)
+w = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True, size=(800,800), border=True)
 v = w.addViewBox(colspan=2)
 v.invertY(True)  ## Images usually have their Y-axis pointing downward
 v.setAspectLocked(True)
diff --git a/examples/ScaleBar.py b/examples/ScaleBar.py
index 5f9675e4..f125eb73 100644
--- a/examples/ScaleBar.py
+++ b/examples/ScaleBar.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from pyqtgraph.Qt import QtCore, QtGui
 import numpy as np
 
 pg.mkQApp()
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: ScaleBar')
 
 vb = win.addViewBox()
diff --git a/examples/Symbols.py b/examples/Symbols.py
index 3dd28e13..417df35e 100755
--- a/examples/Symbols.py
+++ b/examples/Symbols.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from pyqtgraph.Qt import QtGui, QtCore
 import pyqtgraph as pg
 
 app = QtGui.QApplication([])
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow(title="Scatter Plot Symbols")
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True, title="Scatter Plot Symbols")
 win.resize(1000,600)
 
 pg.setConfigOptions(antialias=True)
diff --git a/examples/ViewBoxFeatures.py b/examples/ViewBoxFeatures.py
index 6388e41b..5757924b 100644
--- a/examples/ViewBoxFeatures.py
+++ b/examples/ViewBoxFeatures.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ x = np.arange(1000, dtype=float)
 y = np.random.normal(size=1000)
 y += 5 * np.sin(x/100) 
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: ____')
 win.resize(1000, 800)
 win.ci.setBorder((50, 50, 100))
diff --git a/examples/contextMenu.py b/examples/contextMenu.py
index c2c5918d..c08008aa 100644
--- a/examples/contextMenu.py
+++ b/examples/contextMenu.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import pyqtgraph as pg
 from pyqtgraph.Qt import QtCore, QtGui
 import numpy as np
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: context menu')
 
 
diff --git a/examples/crosshair.py b/examples/crosshair.py
index 076fab49..584eced8 100644
--- a/examples/crosshair.py
+++ b/examples/crosshair.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from pyqtgraph.Point import Point
 
 #generate layout
 app = QtGui.QApplication([])
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: crosshair')
 label = pg.LabelItem(justify='right')
 win.addItem(label)
diff --git a/examples/histogram.py b/examples/histogram.py
index 2674ba30..a25f0947 100644
--- a/examples/histogram.py
+++ b/examples/histogram.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import pyqtgraph as pg
 from pyqtgraph.Qt import QtCore, QtGui
 import numpy as np
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 win.resize(800,350)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: Histogram')
 plt1 = win.addPlot()
diff --git a/examples/isocurve.py b/examples/isocurve.py
index b401dfe1..6d89bbec 100644
--- a/examples/isocurve.py
+++ b/examples/isocurve.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ data = np.concatenate([data, data], axis=0)
 data = pg.gaussianFilter(data, (10, 10, 10))[frames/2:frames + frames/2]
 data[:, 15:16, 15:17] += 1
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: Isocurve')
 vb = win.addViewBox()
 img = pg.ImageItem(data[0])
diff --git a/examples/linkedViews.py b/examples/linkedViews.py
index e7eb18af..34f2b698 100644
--- a/examples/linkedViews.py
+++ b/examples/linkedViews.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ app = QtGui.QApplication([])
 x = np.linspace(-50, 50, 1000)
 y = np.sin(x) / x
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow(title="pyqtgraph example: Linked Views")
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True, title="pyqtgraph example: Linked Views")
 win.resize(800,600)
 
 win.addLabel("Linked Views", colspan=2)
diff --git a/examples/logAxis.py b/examples/logAxis.py
index a0c7fc53..3b30c50b 100644
--- a/examples/logAxis.py
+++ b/examples/logAxis.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import pyqtgraph as pg
 
 app = QtGui.QApplication([])
 
-w = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+w = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 w.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: logAxis')
 p1 = w.addPlot(0,0, title="X Semilog")
 p2 = w.addPlot(1,0, title="Y Semilog")
diff --git a/examples/optics_demos.py b/examples/optics_demos.py
index 36bfc7f9..b2ac5c8a 100644
--- a/examples/optics_demos.py
+++ b/examples/optics_demos.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from pyqtgraph import Point
 
 app = pg.QtGui.QApplication([])
 
-w = pg.GraphicsWindow(border=0.5)
+w = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True, border=0.5)
 w.resize(1000, 900)
 w.show()
 
diff --git a/examples/scrollingPlots.py b/examples/scrollingPlots.py
index 313d4e8d..d370aa46 100644
--- a/examples/scrollingPlots.py
+++ b/examples/scrollingPlots.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import pyqtgraph as pg
 from pyqtgraph.Qt import QtCore, QtGui
 import numpy as np
 
-win = pg.GraphicsWindow()
+win = pg.GraphicsLayoutWidget(show=True)
 win.setWindowTitle('pyqtgraph example: Scrolling Plots')
 
 
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/Qt.py b/pyqtgraph/Qt.py
index 749943f2..8c0041df 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/Qt.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/Qt.py
@@ -272,3 +272,11 @@ m = re.match(r'(\d+)\.(\d+).*', QtVersion)
 if m is not None and list(map(int, m.groups())) < versionReq:
     print(list(map(int, m.groups())))
     raise Exception('pyqtgraph requires Qt version >= %d.%d  (your version is %s)' % (versionReq[0], versionReq[1], QtVersion))
+
+
+QAPP = None
+def mkQApp():
+    global QAPP
+    if QtGui.QApplication.instance() is None:
+        QAPP = QtGui.QApplication([])
+    return QAPP
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/__init__.py b/pyqtgraph/__init__.py
index 520ea196..583aeaa0 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/__init__.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/__init__.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ __version__ = '0.10.0'
 
 ## 'Qt' is a local module; it is intended mainly to cover up the differences
 ## between PyQt4 and PySide.
-from .Qt import QtGui
+from .Qt import QtGui, mkQApp
 
 ## not really safe--If we accidentally create another QApplication, the process hangs (and it is very difficult to trace the cause)
 #if QtGui.QApplication.instance() is None:
@@ -466,14 +466,3 @@ def stack(*args, **kwds):
     except NameError:
         consoles = [c]
     return c
-    
-    
-def mkQApp():
-    global QAPP
-    inst = QtGui.QApplication.instance()
-    if inst is None:
-        QAPP = QtGui.QApplication([])
-    else:
-        QAPP = inst
-    return QAPP
-        
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/graphicsWindows.py b/pyqtgraph/graphicsWindows.py
index 41c8b4d2..b6598685 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/graphicsWindows.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/graphicsWindows.py
@@ -6,17 +6,11 @@ it is possible to place any widget into its own window by simply calling its
 show() method.
 """
 
-from .Qt import QtCore, QtGui
+from .Qt import QtCore, QtGui, mkQApp
 from .widgets.PlotWidget import *
 from .imageview import *
 from .widgets.GraphicsLayoutWidget import GraphicsLayoutWidget
 from .widgets.GraphicsView import GraphicsView
-QAPP = None
-
-def mkQApp():
-    if QtGui.QApplication.instance() is None:
-        global QAPP
-        QAPP = QtGui.QApplication([])
 
 
 class GraphicsWindow(GraphicsLayoutWidget):
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/widgets/GraphicsLayoutWidget.py b/pyqtgraph/widgets/GraphicsLayoutWidget.py
index d42378d5..3b41a3ca 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/widgets/GraphicsLayoutWidget.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/widgets/GraphicsLayoutWidget.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from ..Qt import QtGui
+from ..Qt import QtGui, mkQApp
 from ..graphicsItems.GraphicsLayout import GraphicsLayout
 from .GraphicsView import GraphicsView
 
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ class GraphicsLayoutWidget(GraphicsView):
     :func:`clear <pyqtgraph.GraphicsLayout.clear>`
     """
     def __init__(self, parent=None, show=False, size=None, title=None, **kargs):
+        mkQApp()
         GraphicsView.__init__(self, parent)
         self.ci = GraphicsLayout(**kargs)
         for n in ['nextRow', 'nextCol', 'nextColumn', 'addPlot', 'addViewBox', 'addItem', 'getItem', 'addLayout', 'addLabel', 'removeItem', 'itemIndex', 'clear']:
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/widgets/__init__.py b/pyqtgraph/widgets/__init__.py
index a81fe391..e69de29b 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/widgets/__init__.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/widgets/__init__.py
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-## just import everything from sub-modules
-
-#import os
-
-#d = os.path.split(__file__)[0]
-#files = []
-#for f in os.listdir(d):
-    #if os.path.isdir(os.path.join(d, f)):
-        #files.append(f)
-    #elif f[-3:] == '.py' and f != '__init__.py':
-        #files.append(f[:-3])
-    
-#for modName in files:
-    #mod = __import__(modName, globals(), locals(), fromlist=['*'])
-    #if hasattr(mod, '__all__'):
-        #names = mod.__all__
-    #else:
-        #names = [n for n in dir(mod) if n[0] != '_']
-    #for k in names:
-        #print modName, k
-        #globals()[k] = getattr(mod, k)