diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8d5167
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# megacom
+
+because minicom sucks
+
+## installation
+
+it's a standard setuptools project, clone this repo, then do
+
+```
+pip3 install --user .
+```
+
+or for development
+```
+pip3 install --user -e .
+```
+
+## usage
+
+```
+usage: megacom [-h] [-b BAUD] [-m MODE] [tty]
+
+Alternative console-based UART client
+
+positional arguments:
+  tty                   Path to UART device [/dev/ttyUSB0]
+
+optional arguments:
+  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
+  -b BAUD, --baud BAUD  UART baud rate [115200]
+  -m MODE, --mode MODE  UART mode string [8N1]
+```
+
+### sudo
+
+to avoid using sudo, add yourself to the `uucp` group (on arch) or `dialout` group (ubuntu/debian),
+and make sure you don't have ModemManager installed
+
+if you have ModemManager installed it's likely you will need to use sudo. if you absolutely _need_
+ModemManager on your system, try stopping it with `sudo systemctl stop ModemManager`, then
+unplugging and replugging UART devices. once you're done using megacom, you can restart ModemManager
+with `sudo systemctl start ModemManager`, if it was previously running
+
+### keyboard shortcuts
+
+CTRL-A is the escape character. CTRL-A + Q quits megacom. CTRL-A + CTRL-A sends a literal CTRL-A
+
+there will be more keyboard shortcuts later, hopefully
+
+### baud
+
+any standard baud rate (as an integer) which is supported by pyserial can be used. usually you want
+the default (115200)
+
+### mode strings
+
+composed of bytesize, parity, and stopbits. usually you want the default (8N1)
+
+the following options are supported
+- bytesize: 8, 5, 6
+- parity: N (none), E (even), O (odd), M (mark), S (space)
+- stopbits: 1, 1.5, 2
+
+examples:
+```
+8N1
+5E2
+6S1.5
+```
+
+### windows
+
+untested. it might work tho. don't expect windows to be actively supported because serial on windows
+is extremely annoying. just use WSL
diff --git a/megacom/__init__.py b/megacom/__init__.py
index c3101fd..24d6dbb 100644
--- a/megacom/__init__.py
+++ b/megacom/__init__.py
@@ -126,7 +126,8 @@ async def megacom(tty: str, baud: int, mode: str) -> None:
 
 
 def main() -> None:
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Alternative console-based UART client")
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog="megacom",
+                                     description="Alternative console-based UART client")
     parser.add_argument("tty", type=str, default="/dev/ttyUSB0", nargs="?",
                         help="Path to UART device [/dev/ttyUSB0]")
     parser.add_argument("-b", "--baud", type=int, default=115200, help="UART baud rate [115200]")