diff --git a/system/john/README b/system/john/README
index 01863b67ca..40b9ad639f 100644
--- a/system/john/README
+++ b/system/john/README
@@ -1,22 +1,15 @@
-John the Ripper is a fast password cracker, currently available for many
-flavors of Unix (11 are officially supported, not counting different
-architectures), Windows, DOS, BeOS, and OpenVMS. Its primary purpose is to
-detect weak Unix passwords. Besides several crypt(3) password hash types
-most commonly found on various Unix flavors, supported out of the box are
-Kerberos AFS and Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 LM hashes, plus several more with
-contributed patches.
+John the Ripper is a fast password cracker.  Its primary purpose is to detect 
+weak passwords.  Besides several crypt(3) password hash types most commonly 
+found on various Unix flavors, supported out of the box are Kerberos AFS and 
+Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 LM hashes, plus several more with contributed patches.
 
-SlackBuild contain updated version of Ryan Lim's patch for john the
-ripper to support MPI. MPI allows you to use multiple processors on a
-single system, or a cluster of systems for cracking passwords using
-john the ripper. You need in this case OpenMPI, also available from
-the SlackBuilds.org repository. But the author of the program does not
-recommend use any hacks for parallel processing (see in the bottom of page
-http://www.openwall.com/lists/john-users/2005/08/24/4). Use it at own risk!
+This script includes an option to apply Ryan Lim's patch for JTR to support
+MPI.  MPI allows you to use multiple processors on a system or even a cluster 
+of systems for cracking passwords using JTR.  If you decide to apply this, you
+will also need openmpi installed.  JTR's author does not recommend using the
+patch, so use it at your own risk - for more information, see this link:
+  http://www.openwall.com/lists/john-users/2005/08/24/4
+This script also contains an optional "jumbo" patch, which enables processing 
+of many password hash types and ciphers that are not otherwise supported.
 
-Slackbuild contain also jambo patch. The jumbo patch enables processing
-of many password hash types and ciphers that are not supported by the
-official JtR. Both patches are disabled by default.
-
-Note this will not build in parallel, set MAKEFLAGS="-j1" if you have
-problems.
\ No newline at end of file
+Note this will not build in parallel; unset MAKEFLAGS if you have problems.
diff --git a/system/john/john.SlackBuild b/system/john/john.SlackBuild
index 57fcccd556..9993399dbc 100644
--- a/system/john/john.SlackBuild
+++ b/system/john/john.SlackBuild
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 PRGNAM=john
 VERSION=${VERSION:-1.7.3.1}
 ARCH=${ARCH:-i486}	
-BUILD=${BUILD:-1}
+BUILD=${BUILD:-2}
 TAG=${TAG:-_SBo}
 
 CWD=$(pwd)
@@ -17,12 +17,16 @@ OUTPUT=${OUTPUT:-/tmp}
 
 if [ "$ARCH" = "i486" ]; then
   COMPILE="make clean linux-x86-any"
+  LIBDIRSUFFIX=""
 elif [ "$ARCH" = "i686" ]; then
   COMPILE="make clean linux-x86-sse2"
+  LIBDIRSUFFIX=""
 elif [ "$ARCH" = "x86_64" ]; then
   COMPILE="make clean linux-x86-64"
+  LIBDIRSUFFIX="64"
 elif [ "$ARCH" = "athlonxp" ]; then 
   COMPILE="make clean linux-x86-mmx"
+  LIBDIRSUFFIX=""
 fi
 
 set -e 
@@ -40,7 +44,7 @@ find . \
  \( -perm 666 -o -perm 664 -o -perm 600 -o -perm 444 -o -perm 440 -o -perm 400 \) \
  -exec chmod 644 {} \;
 
-# DON'T APPLY BOTH PATHES AT THE SAME TIME !!
+# DON'T APPLY BOTH PATCHES AT THE SAME TIME !!
 
 # Patch for John the Ripper to support MPI. MPI allows you to use multiple processors
 # on a single system, or a cluster of systems for cracking passwords.
@@ -50,25 +54,27 @@ find . \
 # and ciphers that are not supported by the official JtR.
 #zcat $CWD/john-1.7.3.1-all-2.diff.gz | patch -p1 || exit 1
 
-( cd src
+cd src
   $COMPILE
-)
+cd -
 
 mkdir -p $PKG/usr/bin
-mkdir -p $PKG/usr/lib/$PRGNAM
-cp -a $TMP/$PRGNAM-$VERSION/run/*  $PKG/usr/lib/$PRGNAM
+mkdir -p $PKG/usr/lib${LIBDIRSUFFIX}/$PRGNAM
+cp -a $TMP/$PRGNAM-$VERSION/run/*  $PKG/usr/lib${LIBDIRSUFFIX}/$PRGNAM
 
 # wrapper
-cat << "EOF" > $PKG/usr/bin/john
-#!/bin/bash
+cat << EOF > $PKG/usr/bin/john
+#!/bin/sh
 # John The Ripper launcher
-/usr/lib/john/john $@
+/usr/lib${LIBDIRSUFFIX}/john/john "\$@"
 EOF
-chmod +x $PKG/usr/bin/john
+chmod 0755 $PKG/usr/bin/john
 
 ( cd $PKG
-  find . | xargs file | grep "executable" | grep ELF | cut -f 1 -d : | xargs strip --strip-unneeded 2> /dev/null || true
-  find . | xargs file | grep "shared object" | grep ELF | cut -f 1 -d : | xargs strip --strip-unneeded 2> /dev/null
+  find . | xargs file | grep "executable" | grep ELF | cut -f 1 -d : | \
+    xargs strip --strip-unneeded 2> /dev/null || true
+  find . | xargs file | grep "shared object" | grep ELF | cut -f 1 -d : | \
+    xargs strip --strip-unneeded 2> /dev/null
 )
 
 mkdir -p $PKG/usr/doc/$PRGNAM-$VERSION
@@ -79,4 +85,4 @@ mkdir -p $PKG/install
 cat $CWD/slack-desc > $PKG/install/slack-desc
 
 cd $PKG
-/sbin/makepkg -l y -c n $OUTPUT/$PRGNAM-$VERSION-$ARCH-$BUILD$TAG.tgz
+/sbin/makepkg -l y -c n $OUTPUT/$PRGNAM-$VERSION-$ARCH-$BUILD$TAG.${PKGTYPE:-tgz}
diff --git a/system/john/john.info b/system/john/john.info
index 883d1b5440..02ded2e7dd 100644
--- a/system/john/john.info
+++ b/system/john/john.info
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 PRGNAM="john"
 VERSION="1.7.3.1"
 HOMEPAGE="http://www.openwall.com/john/"
-DOWNLOAD="http://www.openwall.com/john/g/john-1.7.3.1.tar.bz2"
+DOWNLOAD="ftp://ftp.openwall.com/pub/projects/john/1.7.3.1/john-1.7.3.1.tar.bz2"
 MD5SUM="4a8de450ff332bd0c7cbc573eb5032d9"
+DOWNLOAD_x86_64=""
+MD5SUM_x86_64=""
 MAINTAINER="Murat D. Kadirov"
 EMAIL="banderols@gmail.com"
-APPROVED="dsomero"
+APPROVED="dsomero,rworkman"
diff --git a/system/john/slack-desc b/system/john/slack-desc
index e1e7e6e4d7..bfa2a36344 100644
--- a/system/john/slack-desc
+++ b/system/john/slack-desc
@@ -1,12 +1,19 @@
+# HOW TO EDIT THIS FILE:
+# The "handy ruler" below makes it easier to edit a package description.  Line
+# up the first '|' above the ':' following the base package name, and the '|'
+# on the right side marks the last column you can put a character in.  You must
+# make exactly 11 lines for the formatting to be correct.  It's also
+# customary to leave one space after the ':'.
+
     |-----handy-ruler------------------------------------------------------|
 john: John the Ripper (Password cracker)
-john: 
+john:
 john: John the Ripper is a fast password  cracker, currently available for
 john: many  flavors  of  Unix (11 are officially  supported, not  counting 
 john: different architectures), DOS, Win32, BeOS, and OpenVMS. Its primary
 john: purpose  is to detect weak  Unix passwords. Besides several crypt(3)
 john: password hash types  most commonly  found  on  various  Unix flavors
 john: supported out of the box are Kerberos AFS. 
-john: 
+john:
 john:
 john: