diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes
index ce9cded84b2fa997d1350d33a18345e2752ca707..c9ec98464965ea4f1555bca04479cd0bf4dfa083 100644
--- a/.gitattributes
+++ b/.gitattributes
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 * text=auto !eol
 /INSTALL -text
+/README.txt -text
 /build-all.sh -text
 centos_files/at-3.1.13-22.el7.x86_64.rpm -text
 centos_files/audit-2.6.5-3.el7_3.1.x86_64.rpm -text
diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..0fed14b33cdbb4a6a3d7cbe5dee4e793ac93aba7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+
+
+Congratulations!  You've recieved a copy of
+the Zipr toolchain.  Before use, you need to install it.
+
+To install, pick an approriate directory for your OS from the 
+list below, and read the README file contained in that directory.
+
+	* ubuntu16_files  (Zipr Toolchain on ubuntu 16.04)
+	* centos_files    (DoubleHelix toolchain on CentOS 7.1)