new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.binary-dist
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+Although Octave is not very difficult to build from its sources, it is a
+relatively large program that does require a significant amount of time
+and disk space to compile and install.  Because of this, many people
+want to be able to obtain binary distributions so they can start using
+Octave immediately, without having to bother with the details of
+compiling it first.  This is understandable, so I try to maintain a
+current collection of binary distributions here.
+
+Please understand, however, that there is only a limited amount of
+time available to devote to making binaries, so binaries may not be
+immediately available for some platforms.  (Please contact
+bug-octave@bevo.che.wisc.edu if you are interested in helping make
+binary distributions available for your system.)
+
+Also, binary distributions are limited to static binaries that do not
+support dynamic linking.  For earlier versions of Octave, I tried
+distributing dynamically linked binaries but that proved to be too much
+trouble to support.  If you want to have a copy of Octave that includes
+all the features described in the manual, you will have to build it
+from the sources yourself, or find someone else who is willing to do it
+for you.
+
+
+John W. Eaton
+jwe@bevo.che.wisc.edu
+University of Wisconsin-Madison
+Department of Chemical Engineering
+
+Tue Feb 18 15:03:57 1997