diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e055d203..7e71edb1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -34,5 +34,9 @@ uninstall:
 	rm -rf $(DESTDIR)$(DATADIR)/poezio
 	rm -rf $(DESTDIR)$(MANDIR)/man1/poezio.1
 
+doc:
+	find doc -name \*.txt -exec asciidoc {} \;
 pot:
 	xgettext src/*.py --from-code=utf-8 --keyword=_ -o locale/poezio.pot
+
+.PHONY : doc
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README b/README
index 5bfbe17a..6729fb0a 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ You need python 3.0 (and the associated devel package, to build C modules)
 or higher, and the SleekXMPP python library.
 In the developpement version, you’ll need this fork of SleekXMPP
 http://github.com/louiz/SleekXMPP.
+Additionally, you’ll need asciidoc to build the html documentation pages.
+You can read the documentation using the .txt files, as well, if you don’t
+have asciidoc, or read it on the web.
 
 The simplest way to have up-to-date dependencies and to be able to test
 this developpement version is to use the update.sh script that downloads
diff --git a/doc/poezio.txt b/doc/poezio.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..47497434
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/poezio.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+Poezio documentation
+====================
+
+This page is the documentation for poezio.
+
+Poezio is an XMPP console client mostly written in python and a little
+bit in C.
+
+It uses curses to draw its user interface.
+
+It has been written to create an XMPP client that could very easily be used by
+any IRC user. Its interface tries to be like the ones of famous clients such
+as irssi or weechat.
+
+:numbered:
+== Usage ==
+
+Poezio is composed of tabs which can be of various types. Each tab type has
+a distinct interface, list of commands and list of key shortcuts, in addition
+to the global commands and key shortcuts.
+
+
+=== Commands ===
+
+Commands start with the */* character and can take a list of any number
+of arguments, separated by spaces. If an argument should contain a space,
+you can use the *"* character to surround this argument.
+
+.The command nick with only one argument
+==========================================
+/nick "my new nick"
+==========================================
+
+.The command status with two arguments
+==========================================
+/status away "on vacation"
+==========================================
+
+.Note
+The character *'* cannot be used instead of *"*.
+
+
+To know the list of all available commands, use the *help* command with no
+argument. To know more about the command (what it does and how to use it),
+use the *help* command and pass the command name as its first argument.
+
+The list of all global commands is as follow:
+
+[horizontal]
+*help*:: [command_name] + 
+  Displays the list of all available commands in the current tab, or displays
+  the usage of the given command.
+*message*:: <jid> [message] + 
+  Open a conversation with the specified JID, and send a message to it,
+  if specified.
+
+
+
+
+
+.Get information on the status command
+==========================================
+/help status
+==========================================
+
+
+=== Tabs ===
+This section lists and describes all the tab types.
+
+
+==== Roster Tab ====
+This is the first tab that you will see when starting poezio.
+
+It contains your roster
+
+[glossary]
+== Glossary ==
+
+This glossary explains some terms that are used in this documentation.
+
+[glossary]
+Roster::
+  The list of contacts, sorted by groups, status, or anything the client wishes.