diff --git a/BuildSystemTheory.md b/BuildSystemTheory.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..99ac9bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/BuildSystemTheory.md
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Build Types and Goals
+
+## Novice User
+
+In this build type, a user downloads the tahoe source and everything is as automatic as possible.   Internet access is assumed, and there is nothing wrong with using it.
+
+## Developer
+
+In this build type, someone would like to make changes to tahoe, and gets source from darcs/git or from a tarball.   TODO
+
+## Packaging System
+
+In this build type, the build user is a packager of rpms/debs or pkgsrc.  Rather than convenience, the concern is a stable and repeatable build that produces exactly the same output bits regardless of which prereqs were already installed.  Using the network is not acceptable.
+
+Within a packaging system, there are typically build phases, loosely derived from how autoconf works.
+
+ * fetch: obtain the "distfiles" (tarballs published by e.g. the tahoe project)
+ * patch: apply OS-local/pkgsrc-local changes (goal is to drive these to zero)
+ * configure: search for dependencies and configure paths
+ * build: compile sources to object form, run nroff to make man pages, etc.
+ * install: place bits either in the running system or in a destdir, suitable for running
+ * package: create a binary package from the installed bits