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 Byterun
 -------
 
-This is a pure-Python implementation of a Python bytecode execution virtual
-machine.  I started it to get a better understanding of bytecodes so I could
-fix branch coverage bugs in coverage.py.
+
+
+Byterun is a python interpreter written in just 1451 lines of Python.
+Byterun's goal is to clearly explain Python's design. 
+If you want to better understand Python, or you are not quite sure how something in cPYthon works, then Byterun is  a great place to start. 
+Byterun has proven very useful to a number of different projects, `including one by Google <https://github.com/nedbat/byterun/pull/12>`_.  
+
+By interpreter we mean a code execution virtual 
+machine.  The Python compiler converts python source code into Python bytecode.  The code execution virtual machine then executes that bytecode.   
+
+There are a number of python virtual machines.  Most Python developers use cPython.  cPython includes a virtual machine written in C.  Yes it runs Python very fast, but it is a large code base, and difficult to understand.  Much better to start by studying Byterun.  Then you can move onto cPython.   
+
+If you are interested in Byterun,  the first step is to read the 
+excellent introductory article on Byterun written by Alison 
+Kaptur.  `A Python Interpreter written in Python <http://www.aosabook.org/en/500L/a-python-interpreter-written-in-python.html>`_
+
+If you are not sure what a stack machine is, you might even start  
+with `the Wikipedia article on stack machines. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stack_machine>`_
+
+After understanding Alison's Byterun  article, you should be able to make sense of  
+`the source code for this repository </byterun>`_  
+And from there you can move onto studying  cPython, or PyPy, or Jython. 
+
+In the process, you
+will certainly need to refer to `the list of Python bytecodes <https://docs.python.org/2.4/lib/bytecodes.html>`_
+ 
+And as you get deeper into the code, you will need to refer to the `Python Execution Model <https://docs.python.org/3/reference/executionmodel.html>`_
+
+We invite you to join this community.  What do you want to do with Byterun?  Do you have any questions?
+
+ 
+History
+-------
+
+`Ned Batchelder <https://nedbatchelder.com/>`_,
+`started Byterun <https://nedbatchelder.com/blog/201301/byterun_and_making_cells.html>`_ so that he could  get a better understanding of bytecodes so that he could fix branch coverage bugs in `coverage.py <https://github.com/nedbat/coveragepy>`_.
+
+Byterun is based on pyvm2 written by Paul Swartz (z3p).  
+
+