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+================
+ Making a patch
+================
+
+You've discovered a bug or something else you want to change in nitime_ - excellent!
+
+You've worked out a way to fix it - even better!
+
+You want to tell us about it - best of all!
+
+The easiest way is to make a *patch* or set of patches.  Here we explain
+how.  Making a patch is the simplest and quickest, but if you're going
+to be doing anything more than simple quick things, please consider
+following the :ref:`git-development` model instead.
+
+.. _making-patches:
+
+Making patches
+==============
+
+Overview
+--------
+
+::
+
+   # tell git who you are
+   git config --global user.email you@yourdomain.example.com
+   git config --global user.name "Your Name Comes Here"
+   # get the repository if you don't have it
+   git clone git://github.com/nipy/nitime.git
+   # make a branch for your patching
+   cd nitime
+   git branch the-fix-im-thinking-of
+   git checkout the-fix-im-thinking-of
+   # hack, hack, hack
+   # Tell git about any new files you've made
+   git add somewhere/tests/test_my_bug.py
+   # commit work in progress as you go
+   git commit -am 'BF - added tests for Funny bug'
+   # hack hack, hack
+   git commit -am 'BF - added fix for Funny bug'
+   # make the patch files
+   git format-patch -M -C master
+
+Then, send the generated patch files to the `nitime mailing list`_ - where we will thank you warmly.
+
+In detail
+---------
+
+#. Tell git_ who you are so it can label the commits you've made::
+
+      git config --global user.email you@yourdomain.example.com
+      git config --global user.name "Your Name Comes Here"
+
+#. If you don't already have one, clone a copy of the nitime_ repository::
+
+      git clone git://github.com/nipy/nitime.git
+      cd nitime
+
+#. Make a 'feature branch'.  This will be where you work on your bug
+   fix.  It's nice and safe and leaves you with access to an unmodified
+   copy of the code in the main branch::
+
+      git branch the-fix-im-thinking-of
+      git checkout the-fix-im-thinking-of
+
+#. Do some edits, and commit them as you go::
+
+      # hack, hack, hack
+      # Tell git about any new files you've made
+      git add somewhere/tests/test_my_bug.py
+      # commit work in progress as you go
+      git commit -am 'BF - added tests for Funny bug'
+      # hack hack, hack
+      git commit -am 'BF - added fix for Funny bug'
+
+   Note the ``-am`` options to ``commit``. The ``m`` flag just signals
+   that you're going to type a message on the command line.  The ``a``
+   flag - you can just take on faith - or see `why the -a flag?`_.
+
+#. When you have finished, check you have committed all your changes::
+
+      git status
+
+#. Finally, make your commits into patches.  You want all the commits
+   since you branched from the ``master`` branch::
+
+      git format-patch -M -C master
+
+   You will now have several files named for the commits::
+
+      0001-BF-added-tests-for-Funny-bug.patch
+      0002-BF-added-fix-for-Funny-bug.patch
+
+   Send these files to the `nitime mailing list`_.
+
+When you are done, to switch back to the main copy of the code, just
+return to the ``master`` branch::
+
+   git checkout master
+
+Moving from patching to development
+===================================
+
+If you find you have done some patches, and you have one or more feature
+branches, you will probably want to switch to development mode.  You can
+do this with the repository you have.
+
+Fork the nitime_ repository on github_ - :ref:`forking`.  Then::
+
+   # checkout and refresh master branch from main repo
+   git checkout master
+   git pull origin master
+   # rename pointer to main repository to 'upstream'
+   git remote rename origin upstream
+   # point your repo to default read / write to your fork on github
+   git remote add origin git@github.com:your-user-name/nitime.git
+   # push up any branches you've made and want to keep
+   git push origin the-fix-im-thinking-of
+
+Then you can, if you want, follow the :ref:`development-workflow`.
+
+.. include:: git_links.inc