diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c039d2b7..b93a2d27 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,21 +1,19 @@
 It's Magit!  A Emacs mode for Git.
 ==================================
 
-[github pages](http://philjackson.github.com/magit)
+Magit is an interface to Git for Emacs. Unlike Emacs's native
+[version control support][vc], Magit can take advantage of Git's
+native features without breaking compatibility with other systems.
 
-I started to write Magit to learn about Git and to figure out how I
-would be using Git in a 'natural' way.  Magit will grow and hopefully
-become more coherent as I learn more about Git and good ways to use
-it.  Feedback is welcome!
-
-Magit is owned by Marius Vollmer and is currently maintained by Phil
-Jackson. For a full list of contributors have a look at magit.el.
+To get started see the [Magit User Manual][manual] or perhaps the
+[cheatsheet][cheatsheet] if you're in a hurry. There's also an
+excellent [Magit screencast][screencast] by Alex Vollmer which
+demonstrates some of the major features.
 
 Installing
 ----------
 
-Download the latest tarball from
-[the github download page](http://github.com/philjackson/magit/downloads).
+Download the latest tarball from [the github download page][download].
 
 And then Magit can be installed with the popular recipe of:
 
@@ -23,34 +21,37 @@ And then Magit can be installed with the popular recipe of:
     $ ./configure
     $ make install
 
-This will put magit.el into /usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp, where
+This will put magit.el into `/usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp`, where
 Emacs should be able to find it.  Then add
 
     (require 'magit)
 
-to your .emacs file.
+to your `.emacs` file.
 
 Getting started
 ---------------
 
 To get started with Magit, open any file in a Git repository in Emacs
-and run 'M-x magit-status'.  Read the online help of magit-mode ('C-h
-m' in the Magit buffer), make some changes to your files, and try to
+and run `M-x magit-status`.  Read the short help for magit-mode (`C-h
+m` in the Magit buffer), make some changes to your files, and try to
 commit them.
 
 Learning more
 -------------
 
-The Magit User Manual describes things with more words than the online
-help.  You can read it in Emacs with 'C-u C-h i magit.info' for
-example, or on the web at
+The [Magit User Manual][manual] describes things with more words than
+the online help.  You can read it in Emacs with `C-u C-h i
+magit.info`, or [on the web][manual].
 
-  [the manual](http://philjackson.github.com/magit/magit.html)
+If you have any questions, please use [the mailing list][google group]
+at Google Groups.
 
-If you have questions, please use the mailing list at
+Magit's website is currently hosted [on GitHub][website].
 
-  [google group](http://groups.google.com/group/magit/)
-
-Magit's web home is currently at
-
-  [github pages](http://philjackson.github.com/magit)
+[vc]: http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/Version-Control.html#Version-Control
+[website]: http://philjackson.github.com/magit
+[manual]: http://philjackson.github.com/magit/magit.html
+[cheatsheet]: http://daemianmack.com/magit-cheatsheet.html
+[screencast]: http://vimeo.com/2871241
+[download]: http://github.com/philjackson/magit/downloads
+[google group]: http://groups.google.com/group/magit/