update installation instructions

1 files changed, 25 insertions, 16 deletions

diff --git a/taler-exchange-manual.rst b/taler-exchange-manual.rst
index fc06a8e3..bdbc3efa 100644
--- a/taler-exchange-manual.rst
+++ b/taler-exchange-manual.rst
@@ -288,20 +288,6 @@ Before installing a Taler exchange, please make sure that your
 system does not have swap space enabled.  Swap space is a security
 risk that Taler does not try to mitigate against.
 
-Please install the following packages before proceeding with the
-exchange compilation.
-
-- Python3 module ``jinja2``
-
-.. include:: frags/list-of-dependencies.rst
-
--  GNU Taler exchange (from `download directory <http://ftpmirror.gnu.org/taler/>`__,
-   see `release announcement <https://mail.gnu.org/archive/cgi-bin/namazu.cgi?query=taler&idxname=info-gnu&max=20&result=normal&sort=date:late>`__)
-
-Except for the last two, these are available in most GNU/Linux
-distributions and should just be installed using the respective package
-manager.
-
 
 Installing from source
 ----------------------
@@ -309,13 +295,36 @@ Installing from source
 The following instructions will show how to install libgnunetutil and
 the GNU Taler exchange from source.
 
+The package sources can be find in our 
+`download directory <http://ftpmirror.gnu.org/taler/>`__.
+
+GNU Taler components version numbers follow the ``MAJOR.MINOR.MICRO`` format.
+The general rule for compatibility is that ``MAJOR`` and ``MINOR`` must match.
+Exceptions to this general rule are documented in the release notes.
+For example, Taler merchant 1.3.0 should be compatible with Taler exchange 1.4.x
+as the MAJOR version matches.  A MAJOR version of 0 indicates experimental
+development, and you are expected to always run all of the *latest* releases
+together (no compatibility guarantees).
+
+First, the following packages need to be installed before we can compile the
+backend:
+
+.. include:: frags/list-of-dependencies.rst
+
 .. include:: frags/installing-gnunet.rst
 
+.. include:: frags/install-before-check.rst
+
+There is no need to actually run a GNUnet peer to use the Taler merchant
+backend -- all the merchant needs from GNUnet is a number of headers and
+libraries!
+
 .. include:: frags/installing-taler-exchange.rst
 
 .. include:: frags/install-before-check.rst
 
 
+
 Installing the GNU Taler binary packages on Debian
 --------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -325,7 +334,7 @@ To install the Taler exchange, you can now simply run:
 
 .. code-block:: console
 
-   # apt install -t sid taler-exchange
+   # apt install taler-exchange
 
 Note that the package does not perform any configuration work except for
 setting up the various users and the systemd service scripts. You still must
@@ -350,7 +359,7 @@ To install the Taler exchange, you can now simply run:
 
 .. code-block:: console
 
-   # apt install -t focal-fossa taler-exchange
+   # apt install taler-exchange
 
 Note that the package does not perform any configuration work except for
 setting up the various users and the systemd service scripts. You still must