diff --git a/HACKING b/HACKING
index d0fd4b3..5a20727 100644
--- a/HACKING
+++ b/HACKING
@@ -128,31 +128,39 @@
 * A suitable one-line summary as the very first line of the message, in the
   form:
 
-  [topic] high-level, one line summary
+  topic: high-level, one line summary
 
-  Where topic may be name of a subdirectory, and/or daemon. 
+  Where topic would tend to be name of a subdirectory, and/or daemon, unless
+  there's a more suitable topic (e.g. 'build').  This topic is used to
+  organise change summaries in release announcements.
 
 * An optional introduction, discussing the general intent of the change.
-* a short description of each change made, preferably:
+* A short description of each change made, preferably:
   * file by file
     * function by function (use of "ditto", or globs is allowed)
 
-to provide a short description of the general intent of the patch. 
+to provide a short description of the general intent of the patch, in terms
+of the problem it solves and how it achieves it, to help reviewers
+understand. 
+
 
 The reason for such itemised commit messages is to encourage the author to
 self-review every line of the patch, as well as provide reviewers an index
-of which changes are intended, along with a short description for each.
+of which changes are intended, along with a short description for each. 
+Some discretion is obviously required.  A C-to-english description is not
+desireable.  For short patches, a per-function/file break-down may be
+redundant.  For longer patches, such a break-down may be essential.
+
 An example (where the general discussion is obviously somewhat redundant,
 given the one-line summary):
 
-[zebra] Enhance frob FSM to detect loss of frob
+zebra: Enhance frob FSM to detect loss of frob
 
-	* (general) Add a new DOWN state to the frob state machine
-	  to allow the barinator to detect loss of frob. 
-	* frob.h: (struct frob) Add DOWN state flag.
-	* frob.c: (frob_change) set/clear DOWN appropriately on state
-	  change.
-	* bar.c: (barinate) Check frob for DOWN state.
+* (general) Add a new DOWN state to the frob state machine
+   to allow the barinator to detect loss of frob. 
+* frob.h: (struct frob) Add DOWN state flag.
+* frob.c: (frob_change) set/clear DOWN appropriately on state change.
+* bar.c: (barinate) Check frob for DOWN state.
 
 
 HACKING THE BUILD SYSTEM
@@ -183,7 +191,7 @@
         --prefix=quagga-release/ master | tar -xf -
     cd quagga-release
 
-    ./update-autotools
+    autoreconf -i
     ./configure
     make
     make dist
@@ -195,6 +203,8 @@
 Do not append to tarballs, as this has produced non-standards-conforming
 tarballs in the past.
 
+See also: http://wiki.quagga.net/index.php/Main/Processes
+
 [TODO: collation of a list of deprecated commands. Possibly can be scripted
 to extract from vtysh/vtysh_cmd.c]
 
@@ -236,7 +246,7 @@
   show C function affected by any chunk, and with the -w and -b arguments to
   minimise changes. E.g: 
 
-    git diff -u -p -w -b mybranch..remotes/quagga.net/master
+    git diff -up mybranch..remotes/quagga.net/master
 
   Or by using git-format-patch.