diff --git a/appendices/about.xml b/appendices/about.xml
index 4bca4a45b3..dbf722feea 100644
--- a/appendices/about.xml
+++ b/appendices/about.xml
@@ -268,34 +268,40 @@ Returns the length of given string.
    whereas the latest is PHP 5.x.x.
   </para>
   <para>
-   Documentation partly exists for the SVN version of PHP, which
-   always means the very latest development version. This has yet to
-   be released so is only available through the SVN version handling system, 
-   or via a <link xlink:href="&url.php.snapshots;">snapshot</link>. So be aware that
-   features marked "available in SVN" are typically unavailable. These 
-   features, though, will most likely be available in the next stable version 
-   of PHP. To download the SVN version, see the <link xlink:href="&url.php.anonsvn;">anonymous
-   SVN access page</link>.
+   When documentation exists for the latest (unreleased) developmental versions
+   of PHP, it will be labeled as either "available in SVN" or "development
+   version." And while these changes should be planned for, in rare cases they
+   may change.
   </para>
   <para>
-   So, documentation may exist for PHP versions that aren't yet released.
-   (Something like PHP 6.x.x while the latest stable version might be 
-   5.x.x). Most of the time, this is not an error in the documentation.
-   Explanation is often added for features not available in the current
-   PHP release, but will be available as a known future PHP version.
-   Typically, PHP only adds new features in major releases otherwise only bugs
-   are fixed. Using the A.B.C versioning format, a major release increments A 
-   or B whereas minor releases increment C. So for example it's not uncommon 
-   for a feature to be documented as available in PHP x.1.x when the latest 
-   release is PHP x.0.x. Also note that the manual is written in present 
-   tense, not future tense.
+   All development takes place in Subversion (SVN) and may be checked out
+   as described within the <link xlink:href="&url.php.anonsvn;">anonymous SVN
+   access</link> page. Or, these same sources may be downloaded as
+   <link xlink:href="&url.php.snapshots;">PHP snapshots</link>, which are available
+   for every active PHP branch.
+  </para>
+  <para>
+   And to clarify, the manual will refer to major, minor and point PHP releases.
+   Using PHP <literal>5.3.1</literal> as an example, the <emphasis>5</emphasis>
+   refers to the major version, <emphasis>3</emphasis> to minor, and
+   <emphasis>1</emphasis> is the point release. Typically PHP only adds new features
+   to major and minor releases, and fixes bugs in point releases. However, this
+   convention is not always true.
+  </para>
+  <para>
+   Also note that the PHP manual is written in present tense, not future tense,
+   even for documented features that are not yet available. The reason for this
+   is so the manual can stand the test of time, thus not require tedious grammar
+   updates with every PHP release.
   </para>
   <para>
    Many times the PHP manual lists "Default Values" for PHP directives. These 
-   values are based on <filename>php.ini-development</filename> and not 
-   <filename>php.ini-production</filename>. They also refer to the latest  
-   version of PHP. See the <link linkend="ini.list">PHP directive 
-   appendix</link> for details on these values and changes.
+   values are based on how PHP behaves without a &php.ini; configuration file,
+   so this may differ from values found in the distributed
+   <filename>php.ini-development</filename> and <filename>php.ini-production</filename>
+   files. They also refer to the latest version of PHP, although changelog entries
+   do mention past values. See the <link linkend="ini.list">PHP directive 
+   appendix</link> for details regarding these values and changes.
   </para>
  </sect1>