--- /dev/null
+ -*-text-*-
+
+The ziffy utility started from its first version to use
+GNU automake and autoconf utilities.
+
+If you want to hack on ziffy, it will make you life easier
+to have the following packages installed:
+
+ - GNU libtool 1.3.3
+ - GNU automake 1.4
+ - GNU autoconf 2.13
+
+These should be available by ftp from ftp.gnu.org or any of the
+fine GNU mirrors. Beta software can be found at ftp://alpha.gnu.org.
+
+
+This means that you will need the usual GNU tools to build these in
+maintainer mode from the development tree. You can simply type at
+your prompt:
+
+> ./autogen.sh
+
+[a simple shell script that basically does the following for you:
+
+ aclocal
+ autoheader
+ automake --add-missing --gnu
+ autoconf
+ configure
+
+]
+
+
+have fun!
+
+/rocco