diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index d0c96b423..f1465cd92 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 include LICENSE
 include CHANGELOG
 include CONTRIBUTORS
-include README.mkd
+include README.txt
+exclude README.mkd
 recursive-include examples *
 recursive-include doc *
 recursive-include test *
diff --git a/README.mkd b/README.mkd
index 94405ab79..67b08e960 100644
--- a/README.mkd
+++ b/README.mkd
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ fly.
 __mitmdump__ is the command-line version of mitmproxy, with the same
 functionality but without the user interface. Think tcpdump for HTTP.
 
-Both tools are fully documentented in the commandline _--help_ flag, and, in
-the case of __mitmproxy__, a built-in help page accessible through the _?_
-keyboard shortcut.
+Complete documentation and a set of practical tutorials is included in the
+distribution package, and is also available at
+[mitmproxy.org](http://mitmproxy.org).
 
 
 Features
diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a52cd46db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+**mitmproxy** is an SSL-capable man-in-the-middle proxy for HTTP. It provides a
+console interface that allows traffic flows to be inspected and edited on the
+fly.
+
+**mitmdump** is the command-line version of mitmproxy, with the same
+functionality but without the user interface. Think tcpdump for HTTP.
+
+Complete documentation and a set of practical tutorials is included in the
+distribution package, and is also available at `mitmproxy.org
+<http://mitmproxy.org>`_.
+
+
+Features
+--------
+
+- Intercept HTTP requests and responses and modify them on the fly.
+- Save complete HTTP conversations for later replay and analysis.
+- Replay the client-side of an HTTP conversations.
+- Replay HTTP responses of a previously recorded server.
+- Reverse proxy mode to forward traffic to a specified server.
+- Make scripted changes to HTTP traffic using Python. 
+- SSL certificates for interception are generated on the fly.
+
+
+Download
+--------
+
+Releases and rendered documentation can be found on the mitmproxy website:
+
+`mitmproxy.org <http://mitmproxy.org>`_
+
+Source is hosted on github: 
+
+`github.com/cortesi/mitmproxy <http://github.com/cortesi/mitmproxy>`_
+
+
+Community
+---------
+
+Come join us in the #mitmproxy channel on the OFTC IRC network
+(irc://irc.oftc.net:6667).
+
+We also have a mailing list, hosted here:
+
+http://groups.google.com/group/mitmproxy
+
+
+Requirements
+------------
+
+* `Python <http://www.python.org>`_ 2.6.x or 2.7.x.
+* `openssl <http://www.openssl.org/>`_ - installed by default on most systems.
+* `urwid <http://excess.org/urwid/>`_ version 0.9.8 or newer.
+* The test suite uses the `pry <http://github.com/cortesi/pry>`_ unit testing
+  library.
+* Rendering the documentation requires `countershape <http://github.com/cortesi/countershape>`_.
+
+**mitmproxy** is tested and developed on OSX, Linux and OpenBSD. 
+
+You should also make sure that your console environment is set up with the
+following: 
+    
+* EDITOR environment variable to determine the external editor.
+* PAGER environment variable to determine the external pager.
+* Appropriate entries in your mailcap files to determine external
+  viewers for request and response contents.
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 418707c00..4bcf06e7d 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def findPackages(path, dataExclude=[]):
     return packages, package_data
 
 
-long_description = file("README.mkd").read()
+long_description = file("README.txt").read()
 packages, package_data = findPackages("libmproxy")
 setup(
         name = "mitmproxy",