diff --git a/INSTALL.md b/INSTALL.md
index 0443412f0..76a4d7dad 100644
--- a/INSTALL.md
+++ b/INSTALL.md
@@ -1,21 +1,97 @@
 # Getting Started
 
-Compiling requires a certain Pokemon Crystal ROM:
+Compiling **pokecrystal.gbc** requires a certain **Pokemon Crystal** rom:
 
 ```
 Pokemon - Crystal Version (UE) (V1.0) [C][!].gbc
 md5: 9f2922b235a5eeb78d65594e82ef5dde
 ```
 
-Save it as `baserom.gbc` in the repository.
+Save it as **baserom.gbc** in the repository.
 
 
-Feel free to ask us on nucleus.kafuka.org #skeetendo if something goes wrong (remember to tell where)!
+Feel free to ask us on **[nucleus.kafuka.org #skeetendo](http://chat.mibbit.com/?server=nucleus.kafuka.org&channel=#skeetendo)** if something goes wrong!
 
-Don't know how to use IRC? Try [mibbit](http://chat.mibbit.com/?server=nucleus.kafuka.org&channel=#skeetendo).
+# Windows
+
+If you are on Windows and can't install Linux, **Cygwin** is a great alternative.
+
+## Installing Cygwin
+
+Cygwin provides a virtual Linux environment on Windows systems. Just get **setup.exe**.
+
+**http://cygwin.com/install.html**
+
+During the install:
+
+* Keep the defaults.
+
+* Most mirrors are molasses. Use **http://mirrors.kernel.org**.
 
 
-## Linux
+## Using Cygwin
+
+Launch the **Cygwin terminal**. Maybe you know your way around the Linux terminal, **bash**. If not, a crash course:
+```bash
+# list files in current directory
+ls
+
+# show current directory
+pwd
+
+# change directory
+cd /away/we/go
+```
+
+
+## Getting up and running
+
+We need a couple more things.
+
+```bash
+apt-cyg install python make git wget
+```
+
+**rgbds** will let you compile Game Boy roms.
+
+```bash
+# download rgbds binaries
+wget http://diyhpl.us/~bryan/irc/pokered/rgbds/rgbds.zip
+unzip rgbds.zip
+rm rgbds.zip
+
+# make rgbds accessible for all time
+export PATH=$PATH:`pwd`/rgbds
+echo "export PATH=$PATH" >> ~/.bashrc
+```
+
+Set up the **pokecrystal** repository:
+
+```bash
+cd ~
+git clone https://github.com/kanzure/pokecrystal
+cd pokecrystal
+
+# install python requirements
+pip install -r requirements.txt
+
+# use hexdump to diff binary files
+git config diff.hex.textconv hexdump
+
+# download the base rom
+```
+
+Now you should be able to build **pokecrystal.gbc** for the first time.
+```
+make clean && make
+```
+
+This ought to take between **3 and 15 seconds**, depending on your computer.
+
+If you see `cmp baserom.gbc pokecrystal.gbc` as the last line, the build was successful! Rejoice!
+
+
+# Linux
 
 ```bash
 sudo apt-get install make gcc bison git python python-setuptools 
@@ -46,36 +122,19 @@ pip install -r requirements.txt
 git config diff.hex.textconv hexdump
 ```
 
-To compile the ROM from ASM source:
+To compile the rom from asm source:
 ```
 make clean && make
 ```
 
-That will take between 3 and 15 seconds, depending on your computer. If you see
-`cmp baserom.gbc pokecrystal.gbc` as the last line, the build was successful! Rejoice!
+That will take between 3 and 15 seconds, depending on your computer. If you see `cmp baserom.gbc pokecrystal.gbc` as the last line, the build was successful! Rejoice!
 
 
-## Windows
+# Now what?
 
-Set up [GitHub for Windows](http://windows.github.com/) and clone this repository.
+* **Can't find something?** Contribute!
 
-If you haven't already, get [Python 2.7](http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.3/python-2.7.3.msi) ([64-bit](http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.3/python-2.7.3.amd64.msi)).
+* **Do your own thing!** The asm source is hack-friendly, and the supplementary scripts in extras/ can be used for other projects.
 
-Extract the following files from the [RGBDS](https://github.com/downloads/bentley/rgbds/rgbds-0.0.1.zip) package into the repository:
-`rgbasm.exe`
-`rgbds.exe`
-`rgbfix.exe`
-`rgblink.exe`
-
-Install [make](http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/downlinks/make.php) for Windows.
-
-To compile the ROM from ASM source, run `pokecrystal.bat`.
-
-That will take between 3 and 15 seconds, depending on your computer. If you see
-`FC: no differences encountered`, the build was successful! Rejoice!
-
-Now you may try messing around with `main.asm`, or just do whatever you wanted to.
-
-
-# Contributions are welcome!
+* We'll be happy to answer any **questions** at **[nucleus.kafuka.org #skeetendo](http://chat.mibbit.com/?server=nucleus.kafuka.org&channel=#skeetendo)**
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f8b59dddd..d55a5a7b5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ The source code in this project successfully converts back into a ROM image. All
 
 ## Base ROM
 
-The following ROM is required for compiling:
+The following rom is required for compiling:
 
 ```
 Pokemon - Crystal Version (UE) (V1.0) [C][!].gbc
@@ -17,16 +17,18 @@ md5: 9f2922b235a5eeb78d65594e82ef5dde
 Eventually this will not be necessary.
 
 
-## See also
-
-* disassembly of [Pokémon Red](http://bitbucket.org/iimarckus/pokered).
-
-
-## Contributing
-
-* Hang out with us on IRC: `nucleus.kafuka.org #skeetendo` (for example, by
-using [mibbit](http://chat.mibbit.com/)).
+## What can I do?
 
 * Are we missing something? Make a pull request! Contributions are welcome.
 
-* Tackle some [issues](https://github.com/kanzure/pokecrystal/issues)!
+* Take a look at some of the disasm tools in **extras/**. Most of the scripts are generalized enough to take apart other Game Boy games.
+
+* Tackle some **[issues](https://github.com/kanzure/pokecrystal/issues)**!
+
+
+## See also
+
+* Hang out with us on IRC: **[nucleus.kafuka.org #skeetendo](http://chat.mibbit.com/?server=nucleus.kafuka.org&channel=#skeetendo)**
+
+* Disassembly of **[Pokémon Red](http://bitbucket.org/iimarckus/pokered)**.
+