diff --git a/README b/README
index 06d0097..6deba91 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-This is Python release 1.4 beta 2
+This is Python release 1.4 beta 3
 =================================
 
 It's a beta release.  Use this if you want to help me iron the last
@@ -6,18 +6,20 @@
 1.4.  In particular, I'm interested in porting experiences to Unix
 boxes.  Python should build out of the box using "./configure; make".
 Also try running configue with the --with-thread and --with-readline
-options (described below).  AIX users: please try the new shared
-library support!
+options (described below).
+
+I really expect this to be the last beta release.  I declare a "feature 
+freeze" until 1.4 final is released.  Changes in 1.4 final will be 
+restricted to urgent bugfixes, portability enhancements, and added 
+documentation only.
 
 
 What's new in this release?
 ---------------------------
 
-A list of things that changed since 1.4 beta 1 can be found in
-Misc/NEWS.  This file will eventually be updated to also list what's
-new since to 1.3; in the mean time, you can have a look at
-http://www.python.org/workshops/1996-06/future.html (though there are
-some minor deviations from what was promised there, as usual).
+A list of (nearly) all things that changed in each of the 1.4 beta releases 
+can be found in the file Misc/NEWS -- together this comprises a list of 
+everything that's changed since 1.3.
 
 
 What is Python anyway?
@@ -61,8 +63,8 @@
 *     If you use Python, please consider joining the Python Software    *
 *     Activity (PSA).  See http://www.python.org/psa/.                  *
 *                                                                       *
-*     Organizations making heavy use of Python are especially invited   *
-*     to become corporate members!                                      *
+*     Organizations that make heavy use of Python are especially        *
+*     encouraged to become corporate members!                           *
 *                                                                       *
 *************************************************************************
 
@@ -113,6 +115,9 @@
 not, "make clean" sometimes helps to clean up other inexplicable
 problems as well.  Try it before sending in a bug report!
 
+If the configure script fails or doesn't seem to find things that
+should be there, inspect the config.log file.
+
 
 Platform specific notes
 -----------------------
@@ -126,20 +131,26 @@
 	the files as distributed don't match the system headers on
 	some Linux versions.  (The "h2py" command refers to
 	Tools/scripts/h2py.py.)  The modules distributed for Linux 2.x
-	should be okay.
+	should be okay.  Shared library support now works by default
+	on ELF-based x86 Linux systems.
 
-AIX:    The notes in Misc/AIX-NOTES probably no longer apply.  A
-	complete overhaul of the shared library support is now in
-	place, the only thing that's missing is a bit of explanation.
-	Search for AIX in Modules/Setup(.in) for a clue.
+AIX:	A complete overhaul of the shared library support is now in
+	place.  To enable it, uncomment the LINKCC line in the Setup
+	file.  See Misc/AIX-NOTES for some notes on how it's done.
 
-	WARNING!  In some versions of AIX, you get errors about
+	WARNING!  In some versions of AIX 3.x, you get errors about
 	Invalid Indent when running the Python test set.  This appears
 	to be a bug in the AIX compiler.  Rebuild Parser/tokenizer.c
 	using OPT="" or OPT=-g, or use gcc.
 
-HP-UX:  Read the file Misc/HPUX-NOTES if you want to be able to
-	use shared libraries for dynamically loaded modules.
+HP-UX:	Shared library support now works by default (at least on HP-UX
+	9.x).  One other problem remains: the HP ANSI C compiler (cc
+	-Aa) is too pedantic to use, but in K&R mode, it barfs on a
+	few files (complexobject.c, getargs.c and operator.c).  Until
+	this is fixed, the following seems to work:
+
+		make -k		# this compiles all but a few files
+		make OPT=-Aa	# compile the remaining files
 
 Minix:  When using ack, use "CC=cc AR=aal RANLIB=: ./configure"!
 
@@ -185,7 +196,7 @@
 
 The default collection of modules should build on any Unix system, but
 many optional modules should work on all modern Unices (e.g. try dbm,
-mis, termios, timing, syslog, curses, new, soundex, parser).  Often
+nis, termios, timing, syslog, curses, new, soundex, parser).  Often
 the quickest way to determine whether a particular module works or not
 is to see if it will build: enable it in Setup, then if you get
 compilation or link errors, disable it -- you're missing support.
@@ -387,8 +398,8 @@
 appropriate machine with the appropriate options).  This creates the
 necessary subdirectories and the Makefiles therein.  The Makefiles
 contain a line VPATH=... which points to directory containing the
-actual sources.  (On SGI systems, use "smake" instead of "make" if you
-use VPATH -- don't try gnumake.)
+actual sources.  (On SGI systems, use "smake -J1" instead of "make" if
+you use VPATH -- don't try gnumake.)
 
 For example, the following is all you need to build a minimal Python
 in /usr/tmp/python (assuming ~guido/src/python is the toplevel
@@ -441,10 +452,7 @@
 1 only if the corresponding feature is present and can be left alone
 otherwise; however RETSIGTYPE must always be defined, either as int or
 as void, and the *_t type symbols must be defined as some variant of
-int if they need to be defined at all. Then arrange that the symbol
-HAVE_CONFIG_H is defined during compilation (usually by passing an
-argument of the form `-DHAVE_CONFIG_H' to the compiler, but this is
-necessarily system-dependent).
+int if they need to be defined at all.
 
 
 
@@ -461,42 +469,24 @@
 Python's power (including the built-in data types and functions!) is
 described here.
 
-To print the documentation from the LaTeX files, chdir into the Doc
-subdirectory, type "make" (let's hope you have LaTeX installed!), and
-send the four resulting PostScript files (tut.ps, lib.ps, ref.ps, and
-ext.ps) to the printer.  See the README file there.
+To print the documentation from the LaTeX files, chdir into the Doc 
+subdirectory, type "make" (let's hope you have LaTeX installed!), and send 
+the four resulting PostScript files (tut.ps, lib.ps, ref.ps, and ext.ps) to 
+the printer.  See the README file there.  If you don't have LaTeX, you can 
+ftp the PostScript files from the ftp archives (see below).
 
-All documentation is also available on-line via the World-Wide Web
-(WWW): http://www.python.org.  It can also be downloaded
-separately from the ftp archives (see below) in Emacs INFO, HTML or
-PostScript form -- see the FAQ (file Misc/FAQ) for more info.
+All documentation is also available on-line via the Python web site 
+(http://www.python.org/, see below).  It can also be downloaded separately 
+from the ftp archives (see below) in Emacs INFO, HTML or PostScript form -- 
+see the web site or the FAQ (file Misc/FAQ) for more info.
 
 
 Emacs mode
 ----------
 
-There's an excellent Emacs editing mode for Python code; see the file
-Misc/python-mode.el.  Originally written by Tim Peters, who's no
-longer on the net, it is now maintained by Barry Warsaw
-<bwarsaw@cnri.reston.va.com>.
-
-BTW, if you want to use font-lock for Python sources, here's something
-to put in your .emacs file:
-
-	(defun my-python-mode-hook ()
-	  (setq font-lock-keywords python-font-lock-keywords)
-	  (font-lock-mode 1))
-	(add-hook 'python-mode-hook 'my-python-mode-hook)
-
-
-
-Bug reports
------------
-
-Bugs are best reported to the comp.lang.python newsgroup or the Python
-mailing list -- see the section "Newsgroup and mailing list" below.
-Before posting, read the FAQ (file Misc/FAQ) first to see if your
-problem has already been answered!
+There's an excellent Emacs editing mode for Python code; see the file 
+Misc/python-mode.el.  Originally written by Tim Peters, it is now 
+maintained by Barry Warsaw <bwarsaw@cnri.reston.va.us>.
 
 
 Web site
@@ -507,8 +497,8 @@
 that's close you you.
 
 
-Ftp access
-----------
+Ftp site
+--------
 
 Python's own ftp site is ftp.python.org, directory /pub/python.  See
 the FAQ (file Misc/FAQ) for a list of other ftp sites carrying the
@@ -518,13 +508,38 @@
 Newsgroup and mailing list
 --------------------------
 
-There are a newsgroup and a mailing list devoted to Python.  The
-newsgroup, comp.lang.python, contains exactly the same messages as the
-mailing list (though not always in the same order, due to the
-mysterious nature of Usenet news' flooding algorithms).  To subscribe
-to the mailing list, send mail containing your real name and e-mail
-address to "python-list-request@cwi.nl" (a real person reads these
-messages, so no LISTPROC or Majordomo commands, please).
+There are a newsgroup and a mailing list devoted to Python.  The newsgroup, 
+comp.lang.python, contains exactly the same messages as the mailing list 
+(though not always in the same order, due to the mysterious nature of the 
+Usenet news distribution algorithm).  To subscribe to the mailing list, 
+send mail containing your real name and e-mail address to 
+"python-list-request@cwi.nl".  Use the same address if you want to 
+unsibscribed.  (A real person reads these messages, so no LISTPROC or 
+Majordomo commands, please, and please be patient -- normal turn-around 
+time is about one working day.)
+
+The Python web site contains a search form that lets you search the 
+newsgroup archives (or the web site itself).  Click on the "search" link 
+in the banner menu on any page of http://www.python.org/.
+
+
+Bug reports
+-----------
+
+Bugs are best reported to the comp.lang.python newsgroup or the Python 
+mailing list -- see the section "Newsgroup and mailing list" below.  Before 
+posting, check the newsgroup archives (see above) to see if your bug has 
+already been reported!  If you specifically don't want to involve the 
+newsgroup or mailing list, send them to python-bugs@python.org.
+
+
+Questions
+---------
+
+For help, if you can't find it in the manuals, the FAQ or on the web
+site, it's best to post to the comp.lang.python or the Python mailing
+list (see above).  If you specifically don't want to involve the
+newsgroup or mailing list, send questions to python-help@python.org.
 
 
 The Tk interface
@@ -614,7 +629,7 @@
 
 
 Author's address
-----------------
+================
 
 Guido van Rossum
 CNRI
@@ -622,7 +637,7 @@
 Reston, VA 20191
 USA
 
-E-mail: guido@cnri.reston.va.or or guido@python.org
+E-mail: guido@cnri.reston.va.us or guido@python.org