diff --git a/README.html b/README.html
index d91ae8c9..7004a54b 100644
--- a/README.html
+++ b/README.html
@@ -17,36 +17,64 @@
 Getting Started with LuaJ
 
 </h1>
-James Roseborough, Ian Farmer, Version 1.9.53
+James Roseborough, Ian Farmer, Version 2.0-alpha1
 <p>
 <small>
-Copyright &copy; 2007-2009 Luaj.org.
+Copyright &copy; 2009-2010 Luaj.org.
 Freely available under the terms of the
 <a href="http://sourceforge.net/dbimage.php?id=196142">Luaj license</a>.
 </small>
 <hr>
 <p>
 
-<a href="#1">examples</a>
+<a href="#1">introduction</a>
 &middot;
-<a href="#2">concepts</a>
+<a href="#2">examples</a>
 &middot;
-<a href="#3">libraries</a>
+<a href="#3">concepts</a>
 &middot;
-<a href="#4">building</a>
+<a href="#4">libraries</a>
 &middot;
-<a href="#5">downloads</a>
+<a href="#5">building</a>
 &middot;
-<a href="#6">release notes</a>
+<a href="#6">downloads</a>
+&middot;
+<a href="#7">release notes</a>
 
 <!-- ====================================================================== -->
 <p>
 <font color=#800000><em>
-This is a development release for a planned luaj 2.0.  The most recent stable release is 1.0.2
+This is an alpha release for a luaj 2.0.  The most recent stable release is 1.0.3
 </em></font> 
 
+<h1>1 - <a name="1">Introduction</a></h1>
+<h2>Goals of Luaj</h2>
+Luaj is a lua interpreter based on the 5.1.x line of lua with the following goals in mind:
+<ul>
+<li>Java-centric implementation to take advantage of native Java features like garbage collection, and a robust class model.
+<li>Lightweight to allow for small, fast interpretation of lua bytecode. 
+<li>Complete set of libraries and tools for integration into real-world projects.
+<li>Multi-platform to be able to run on JME, JSE, or JEE environments. 
+<li>Dependable due to sufficient unit testing of vm and library features. 
+</ul>
 
-<h1>1 - <a name="1">Simple Examples</a></h1>
+<h2>Differences with 1.0</h2>
+In addition to the basic goals of luaj, version 2.0 is aimed 
+at improving on the 1.0 vm in the following aspects. 
+<ul>
+<li>Support for compiling lua into Java off-line for JME, and at runtime for JSE.
+<li>More alignment with C API (see <a href="names.csv">names.csv</a> for details)
+<li>Faster bytecode processing for interpreted code.
+<li>Tighter integration between lua and Java layers.
+<li>Stackless implementation of interpreted code.
+<li>Streamlined processing model with modular interpreter. 
+<li>More uniform naming of classes. 
+<li>Better package layout. 
+<li>Better unit tests of core classes. 
+</ul>
+
+
+<h1>2 - <a name="2">Simple Examples</a></h1>
 
 <h2>Run a script in Java SE</h2>
 
@@ -54,7 +82,7 @@ This is a development release for a planned luaj 2.0.  The most recent stable re
 From the main distribution directory line type:
 
 <pre>
-	java -cp lib/luaj-jse-1.9.53.jar lua examples/lua/hello.lua
+	java -cp lib/luaj-jse-2.0-alpha1.jar lua examples/lua/hello.lua
 </pre>
 
 <p>
@@ -99,7 +127,7 @@ A simple example may be found in
 </pre>
 
 <p>
-You must include the library <b>lib/luaj-jse-1.9.53.jar</b> in your class path.
+You must include the library <b>lib/luaj-jse-2.0-alpha1.jar</b> in your class path.
 
 <h2>Run a script in a MIDlet</h2>
 
@@ -128,7 +156,7 @@ A simple example may be found in
 </pre>
 
 <p>
-You must include the library <b>lib/luaj-jme-1.9.53.jar</b> in your midlet jar.
+You must include the library <b>lib/luaj-jme-2.0-alpha1.jar</b> in your midlet jar.
 They can be obfuscated if desired.
 
 <h2>Including the compiler</h2>
@@ -163,7 +191,7 @@ The standard use of JSR-233 scripting engines may be used:
 All standard aspects of script engines including compiled statements should be supported.
 
 <p>
-You must include the library <b>lib/luaj-jse-1.9.53.jar</b> in your class path.
+You must include the library <b>lib/luaj-jse-2.0-alpha1.jar</b> in your class path.
 
 <p>
 A working example may be found in
@@ -181,7 +209,7 @@ bcel library is now included.
 To use it at runtime, the tool "lua" has an option "-j" to compile into java bytecode. 
 
 <pre>
-	java -cp luaj-jse-1.9.53.jar;lib/bcel-5.2.jar lua -j examples/lua/hello.lua
+	java -cp luaj-jse-2.0-alpha1.jar;lib/bcel-5.2.jar lua -j examples/lua/hello.lua
 </pre>
 
 <p>
@@ -189,7 +217,7 @@ To compile lua files into Java in advance, the tool "luajc" is provided:
 
 <pre>
 	cp examples/lua/hello.lua .
-	java -cp luaj-jse-1.9.53.jar;lib/bcel-5.2.jar luajc hello.lua
+	java -cp luaj-jse-2.0-alpha1.jar;lib/bcel-5.2.jar luajc hello.lua
 	ls -l hello.class
 </pre>
 
@@ -206,14 +234,14 @@ Files compiled into java in this way can be run via Java class loading, <em>with
 (generated class files must be in your class path): 
 
 <pre>
-	java -cp luaj-jse-1.9.53.jar;. lua -l hello
+	java -cp luaj-jse-2.0-alpha1.jar;. lua -l hello
 </pre>
 
 The current bytecode generator produces a separate class file for each prototype, 
 and generated class files do not work properly with module() or setfenv(). 
 
 
-<h1>2 - <a name="2">Concepts</a></h1>
+<h1>3 - <a name="3">Concepts</a></h1>
 
 <h2>Globals</h2>
 The old notion of platform has been replaced with creation of globals. 
@@ -235,7 +263,7 @@ All libraries are included except luajava, and the os, io, and math libraries ar
 limited to those functions that can be supported on that platform.
 
 
-<h1>3 - <a name="3">Libraries</a></h1>
+<h1>4 - <a name="4">Libraries</a></h1>
 
 <h2>Standard Libraries</h2>
 
@@ -324,13 +352,13 @@ The following lua script will open a swiing frame on Java SE:
 <p>
 See a longer sample in <em>src/test/res/swingapp.lua</em> for details, or try running it using: 
 <pre>
-	java -cp lib/luaj-jse-1.9.53.jar lua src/test/res/swingapp.lua
+	java -cp lib/luaj-jse-2.0-alpha1.jar lua src/test/res/swingapp.lua
 </pre>
 
 <p>
 The Java ME platform does not include this library, and it cannot be made to work because of the lack of a reflection API in Java SE. 
 
-<h1>4 - <a name="4">Building and Testing</a></h1>
+<h1>5 - <a name="5">Building and Testing</a></h1>
 
 <h2>Building the jars</h2>
 An ant file is included in the root directory which builds the libraries by default.
@@ -355,10 +383,10 @@ A large set of JUnit tests are invoked by the JUnit 3 suite:
 <p>
 These tests are used for to produce code coverage statistics using build-coverage.xml.
 
-<h1>5 - <a name="5">Downloads</a></h1>
+<h1>6 - <a name="6">Downloads</a></h1>
 
 <h2>Downloads and Project Pages</h2>
-Downloads for version 1.0.2 are currently hosted on SourceForge.  
+Downloads for version 1.0.3 are currently hosted on SourceForge.  
 Downloads of built packages for 2.0 are not yet available.
 Sources are available via sourceforge.net    
 <br/>
@@ -373,15 +401,21 @@ and LuaForge:
 	<a href="http://luaforge.net/frs/?group_id=457">LuaForge Luaj Project Area</a>
 </pre>
 
-<h1>6 - <a name="6">Release Notes</a></h1>
+<h1>7 - <a name="7">Release Notes</a></h1>
 
-Main changes by version:
+<h2>Main Changes by Version</h2>
 <table cellspacing="10"><tr><td><table cellspacing="4">
-<tr valign="top"><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>1.9.53</b></td><td>
-Most interpreter features are working.  Initial port of all libraries has been done.
-</td></tr>
-<tr valign="top"><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>1.9.53</b></td><td>
-All unit tests that have been included in the project pass.  
-Compile-to-Java based on bcel 5.2 is working.  
-</td></tr>
+<tr valign="top"><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;<b>2.0-alpha1</b></td><td><ul>
+<li>All basic bunit tests pass.  
+<li>Initial port of all libraries has been done.
+<li>Compile-to-Java based on bcel 5.2.  
+</ul></td></tr>
 </table>
+
+<h2>Known Issues</h2>
+<ul>
+<li>module() and setfenv() don't work with compiled code  
+<li>debug code may not be removed by obfuscators
+<li>not all luajava bugfixes have been ported over
+</ul>
+
diff --git a/version.properties b/version.properties
index b7da5bf1..6e50d45e 100644
--- a/version.properties
+++ b/version.properties
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 # on the way to version 2.0
-version: 1.9.53
+version: 2.0-alpha1