update readme

README

@@ -1,10 +1,42 @@
-Alien::Base will is a base class to help build Alien:: modules for simple libraries.
+Alien::Base is a base class and framework for creating Alien 
+distributions.  The goal of the project is to make things as simple and 
+easy as possible for both developers and users of Alien modules.
 
-Special thanks go out to:
+Alien is a Perl namespace for defining dependencies in CPAN for 
+libraries and tools which are not "native" to CPAN.  Alien modules will 
+typically use the system libraries if they are available, or download 
+the latest version from the internet and build them from source code. 
+These libraries can then be used by other Perl modules, usually modules 
+that are implemented with XS or FFI.
+
+To install Alien::Base, use cpanminus:
+
+ cpanm Alien::Base
+
+Once installed you can read the project documentation using the perldoc 
+command, or via the metacpan.org website.  If you are an Alien 
+developer, see the authoring documentation:
+
+ perldoc Alien::Base::Authoring
+ http://metacpan.org/pod/Alien::Base::Authoring
+
+The FAQ also contains hints on dealing with specific challenges, like 
+dealing with specific tools:
+
+ perldoc Alien::Base::FAQ
+ http://metacpan.org/pod/Alien::Base::FAQ
+
+If you are a user of an Alien module, you will likely be more interested 
+in the Alien::Base interface itself:
+
+ perldoc Alien::Base
+ http://metacpan.org/pod/Alien::Base
+
+For questions that aren't answered in the documentation, please feel 
+free to contact the Alien::Base team:
+
+ * IRC: #native on irc.perl.org
+ * mailing list at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/perl5-alien
+ * GitHub issue tracker at https://github.com/Perl5-Alien/Alien-Base/issues
 
-- Christian Walde (Mithaldu) for productive conversations about component interoperablility,
-- kmx for writing Alien::Tidyp from which I drew many of my initial ideas,
-- David Mertens (run4flat) for productive conversations about implementation,
-- Mark Nunberg (mordy, mnunberg) for graciously teaching me about rpath and dynamic loading,
-- Brian Wightman (MidLifeXis) for code contributions
 

lib/Alien/Base.pm

@@ -656,6 +656,28 @@ Current maintainer: Graham Ollis E<lt>plicease@cpan.orgE<gt> and the L<Alien::Ba
 
 =back
 
+Thanks also to
+
+=over
+
+=item Christian Walde (Mithaldu)
+
+For productive conversations about component interoperablility.
+
+=item kmx
+
+For writing Alien::Tidyp from which I drew many of my initial ideas.
+
+=item David Mertens (run4flat)
+
+For productive conversations about implementation.
+
+=item Mark Nunberg (mordy, mnunberg)
+
+For graciously teaching me about rpath and dynamic loading,
+
+=back
+
 =head1 COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
 
 Copyright (C) 2012-2015 by Joel Berger

lib/Alien/Base/Authoring.pod

@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ Congratulations! You have made the decision to help the Perl community by provid
 
 =head1 STATUS
 
-L<Alien::Base> is under active development and is currently beta release. The author hopes that the API has stabilized, but will not promise that it has. Please resist the temptation to use it for production code until the warning is removed. Of course you are welcomed, and in fact encouraged, to test it with for your favorite library; if you do, you are more than welcome to share your experience with me.
+L<Alien::Base> is under active development.  The API is relatively 
+stable, although breaking changes may be introduced if the rewards are 
+deemed greater than the pains that they produce.
 
 =head1 ECOSYSTEM