From fd53f10fbdfcdc19b66ce2a87bd4a1f2788e91a8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Matthew Hodgson <matthew@matrix.org>
Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2016 16:05:03 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] improve the getting started instructions and plug the
 electron apps

---
 README.md | 31 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 1 file changed, 27 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 58bea9d9ad..6a96a868de 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@ Vector is a Matrix web client built using the Matrix React SDK (https://github.c
 Getting Started
 ===============
 
-Vector is a modular webapp built with modern ES6 and requires and npm build system to build.
-Instructions for building are below, but building from source shouldn't be necessary
-for simple deployments.
+The easiest way to test Vector is to just use the hosted copy at https://vector.im/beta.
+The develop branch is continuously deployed by Jenkins at https://vector.im/develop for
+those who like living dangerously. 
+
+To host your own copy of Vector, the quickest bet is to use a pre-built released version
+of Vector:
 
 1. Download the latest version from https://vector.im/packages/
 1. Untar the tarball on your web server
@@ -20,7 +23,7 @@ for simple deployments.
 Building From Source
 ====================
 
-If you do wish to build vector from source:
+Vector is a modular webapp built with modern ES6 and requires a npm build system to build.
 
 1. Install or update `node.js` so that your `npm` is at least at version `2.0.0`
 1. Clone the repo: `git clone https://github.com/vector-im/vector-web.git`
@@ -53,6 +56,26 @@ You can configure the app by copying `vector/config.sample.json` to
    registering with an email address or adding an email address to your account
    will not work.
 
+
+Running as a Desktop app
+========================
+
+In future we'll do an official distribution of Vector as an desktop app.  Meanwhile,
+there are a few options:
+
+@asdf:matrix.org points out that you can use nativefier and it just works(tm):
+
+```
+sudo npm install nativefier -g
+nativefier https://vector.im/beta/
+```
+
+krisa has a dedicated electron project at https://github.com/krisak/vector-electron-desktop
+(although you should swap out the 'vector' folder for the latest vector tarball you want to run)
+
+There's also a (much) older electron distribution at https://github.com/stevenhammerton/vector-desktop
+
+
 Development
 ===========