diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index c3a85cd..8ec52aa 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -40,38 +40,29 @@
Plain Text Accounting
-
concepts
-
accounting and double-entry bookkeeping
-
Ledger and the Ledger-likes
+
accounting..
+
accounting is tracking the flow of valuable commodities, such as money or time. It clarifies activity, priorities, obligations, opportunities. It can reduce stress and even be enjoyable.
+
double-entry bookkeeping is a process for doing this reliably. For every movement of value (a transaction), both the source and destination are recorded. Simple arithmetic invariants help prevent errors.
+
In traditional double-entry bookkeeping, value at any point in time is tracked in various accounts, classified as asset (owned), liability (owed) or equity (invested). Two more classifications track changes during some period: revenues (inflows) and expenses (outflows).
+
Transactions consist of debits (increases to asset or expense accounts, or decreases to liability or equity accounts) or credits (decreases to asset or expense accounts, or increases to liability or equity accounts).
-
characteristics
-
plain text data format
-
signed numbers instead of debit and credit
-
free-form account hierarchy
-
functional operation
-
command-line scriptable
+
with Ledger-likes
+
Ledger and the other Ledger-likes which followed it are minimalist software tools for efficient double-entry accounting. This site introduces them and their way of doing things.
+
Accounting data is valuable; we want to know that it will be accessible for ever - even without software. We want to know when it changes, and revision-control it. We want to search and manipulate it efficiently. So, we store it as human-readable plain text.
+
We simplify by using signed numbers instead of debits and credits - positive for inflows to an account, negative for outflows from an account.
+
We define arbitrary account hierarchy to suit our needs. This scales smoothly from simple to complex scenarios, and from high-level overview to fine detail.
+
Ledger-likes are, at least in part, command-line tools. This makes them efficient to use and very scriptable and flexible.
+
Ledger-likes also, at their core, tend towards functional operation: they read the input data without changing it, and output a report. This simplicity makes them easy to understand and to rely on.
why ?
why we exist
who are we for
alternatives
+
why is this better than QuickBooks ?
+
what if my accountant only uses QuickBooks ?
+
can I use this to do my taxes ?
@@ -82,23 +73,23 @@ http://www.accountingcoach.com/debits-and-credits/explanation
| Ledger |
-the original. C++ |
-openhub |
+C++. The original. |
+ |
| hledger |
-Haskell |
-openhub |
+Haskell |
+ |
| Beancount |
-Python |
-openhub |
+Python |
+ |
| Abandon |
-Scala |
-openhub |
+Scala |
+ |
| Ledger in Go |
@@ -169,7 +160,7 @@ http://www.accountingcoach.com/debits-and-credits/explanation
diff --git a/index.md b/index.md
index fb4eb09..109a2c3 100644
--- a/index.md
+++ b/index.md
@@ -7,42 +7,51 @@
-### concepts
+### accounting..
-accounting and double-entry bookkeeping
+**accounting** is tracking the flow of valuable commodities, such as money or time.
+It clarifies activity, priorities, obligations, opportunities.
+It can reduce stress and even be enjoyable.
-Ledger and the Ledger-likes
+**double-entry bookkeeping** is a process for doing this reliably.
+For every movement of value (a **transaction**), both the source and destination are recorded.
+Simple arithmetic invariants help prevent errors.
+
+In traditional double-entry bookkeeping, value at any point in time is tracked in various **accounts**, classified as
+**asset** (owned), **liability** (owed) or **equity** (invested).
+Two more classifications track changes during some period: **revenues** (inflows) and **expenses** (outflows).
+
+Transactions consist of **debits** (increases to asset or expense
+accounts, or decreases to liability or equity accounts) or **credits**
+(decreases to asset or expense accounts, or increases to liability or
+equity accounts).
-### characteristics
+### with Ledger-likes
-plain text data format
+**Ledger** and the other **Ledger-likes** which followed it are minimalist software tools for efficient double-entry accounting.
+This site introduces them and their way of doing things.
-signed numbers instead of debit and credit
-
+Ledger-likes are, at least in part, **command-line** tools.
+This makes them efficient to use and very **scriptable** and flexible.
-free-form account hierarchy
-
-functional operation
-
-command-line scriptable
+Ledger-likes also, at their core, tend towards **functional operation**:
+they read the input data without changing it, and output a report.
+This simplicity makes them easy to understand and to rely on.
@@ -55,6 +64,12 @@ who are we for
alternatives
+why is this better than QuickBooks ?
+
+what if my accountant only uses QuickBooks ?
+
+can I use this to do my taxes ?
+
@@ -67,10 +82,10 @@ alternatives
| | |
|---------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|-|
-| [Ledger](http://ledger-cli.org) | the original. C++ | [openhub](https://www.openhub.net/p/ledger) |
-| [hledger](http://hledger.org) | Haskell | [openhub](https://www.openhub.net/p/hledger) |
-| [Beancount](http://furius.ca/beancount) | Python | [openhub](https://www.openhub.net/p/beancount) |
-| [Abandon](https://github.com/hrj/abandon) | Scala | [openhub](https://www.openhub.net/p/abandon) |
+| [Ledger](http://ledger-cli.org) | [C++](https://www.openhub.net/p/ledger). The original. | |
+| [hledger](http://hledger.org) | [Haskell](https://www.openhub.net/p/hledger) | |
+| [Beancount](http://furius.ca/beancount) | [Python](https://www.openhub.net/p/beancount) | |
+| [Abandon](https://github.com/hrj/abandon) | [Scala](https://www.openhub.net/p/abandon) | |
| [Ledger in Go](https://github.com/howeyc/ledger) | Go | |
@@ -149,7 +164,10 @@ Inactive:
-Send updates via the [github repo](https://github.com/simonmichael/plaintextaccounting) or [notes page](https://oasis.sandstorm.io/shared/UAYLwagGI0a2pIMg9Hhv74K04nbuxanXiS5ZtBV6NF-)
+Send updates via the
+[github repo](https://github.com/simonmichael/plaintextaccounting)
+or
+[etherpad](https://oasis.sandstorm.io/shared/UAYLwagGI0a2pIMg9Hhv74K04nbuxanXiS5ZtBV6NF-)