diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a7ebdf9..d09e6e1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,7 +1,43 @@
 Apache Thrift
 =============
 
-Last Modified: 2017-11-11
+Introduction
+============
+
+Thrift is a lightweight, language-independent software stack with an
+associated code generation mechanism for point-to-point RPC. Thrift provides 
+clean abstractions for data transport, data serialization, and application
+level processing. The code generation system takes a simple definition
+language as input and generates code across programming languages that
+uses the abstracted stack to build interoperable RPC clients and servers.
+
+![Apache Thrift Layered Architecture](doc/images/thrift-layers.png)
+
+Thrift makes it easy for programs written in different programming
+languages to share data and call remote procedures.  With support 
+for [25 programming languages](LANGUAGES.md), chances are Thrift 
+supports the languages that you currently use.
+
+Thrift is specifically designed to support non-atomic version changes
+across client and server code.
+
+For more details on Thrift's design and implementation, see the Thrift
+whitepaper included in this distribution, or at the README.md file
+in your particular subdirectory of interest.
+
+Status
+======
+
+| Branch | Travis | Appveyor | Coverity Scan | codecov.io | Website |
+| :----- | :----- | :------- | :------------ | :--------- | :------ |
+| [`master`](https://github.com/apache/thrift/tree/master) | [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/apache/thrift.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/apache/thrift) | [![Build status](https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/status/github/apache/thrift?branch=master&svg=true)](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/ApacheSoftwareFoundation/thrift/history) | [![Coverity Scan Build Status](https://scan.coverity.com/projects/1345/badge.svg)](https://scan.coverity.com/projects/thrift) | | [![Website](https://img.shields.io/badge/official-website-brightgreen.svg)](https://thrift.apache.org/) |
+
+Releases
+========
+
+Thrift does not maintain a specific release calendar at this time.  
+
+We strive to release twice yearly.  Download the [current release](http://thrift.apache.org/download).
 
 License
 =======
@@ -23,30 +59,6 @@
 specific language governing permissions and limitations
 under the License.
 
-Introduction
-============
-
-Thrift is a lightweight, language-independent software stack with an
-associated code generation mechanism for RPC. Thrift provides clean
-abstractions for data transport, data serialization, and application
-level processing. The code generation system takes a simple definition
-language as its input and generates code across programming languages that
-uses the abstracted stack to build interoperable RPC clients and servers.
-
-![Apache Thrift Layered Architecture](doc/images/thrift-layers.png)
-
-Thrift makes it easy for programs written in different programming
-languages to share data and call remote procedures.  With support 
-for [over 20 programming languages](LANGUAGES.md), chances are Thrift 
-supports the ones that you currently use.
-
-Thrift is specifically designed to support non-atomic version changes
-across client and server code.
-
-For more details on Thrift's design and implementation, take a gander at
-the Thrift whitepaper included in this distribution or at the README.md file
-in your particular subdirectory of interest.
-
 Project Hierarchy
 =================
 
@@ -79,10 +91,16 @@
     Contains a basic tutorial that will teach you how to develop software
     using Thrift.
 
+Development
+===========
+
+To build the same way Travis CI builds the project you should use docker.
+We have [comprehensive building instructions for docker](build/docker/README.md).
+
 Requirements
 ============
 
-See http://thrift.apache.org/docs/install for an up-to-date list of build requirements.
+See http://thrift.apache.org/docs/install for a list of build requirements (may be stale).  Alternatively see the docker build environments for a list of prerequisites.
 
 Resources
 =========
@@ -171,8 +189,4 @@
 This will run a set of tests that use different language clients and
 servers.
 
-Development
-===========
 
-To build the same way Travis CI builds the project you should use docker.
-We have [comprehensive building instructions for docker](build/docker/README.md).