diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 61ba124..3e2972c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,12 +9,13 @@ This is a template for new django projects -- to standardize on some nice featur
 
 Notes about the install instructions...
 
-- The install-instructions below assume a unix-like environment (ie Mac, Linux, or Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)). 
+- The install-instructions below assume:
+    - a unix-like environment (ie Mac, Linux, or Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)). 
+    - you've installed `uv` ([link][uv_link])
+        - For now, here's a link to an [older version][old] of the repo that uses `pip`-based setup instructions. When improvements are made to this repo, this link will be removed.
 - The install-instructions below reference `x_project_stuff`, `x_project`, and `x_app`. In all cases replace with the name of your project, like: `isbn_api_project_stuff`, `isbn_api_project`, and `isbn_api_app`.
-- You'll also need to update, in the install-instructions, the path to the version of python you're using. Sensible suggestion: use the version of python used by the oldest server on which you'll be running the code. (Django 4.2x requires at least Python 3.8.)
 - The `update_project_and_app_references.py` script ([link](https://github.com/Brown-University-Library/django_template_42_project/blob/main/update_project_and_app_references.py)) deletes the cloned `.git` directory (in addition to its main purpose to rename the project). Why? So you don't accidentally start building away and commit to the template repo. After this installation, creating a new git repo is one of the first things you should do.
-- When you run the `pip istall ...` command, you may get a message about upgrading pip, with instructions. That's always a good idea, but not necessary for this install.
-- When you start the webapp via `runserver`, you'll get a message that there are migrations that need to be run, with instructions. You can go ahead and do that, or do it later (this is a one-time thing).
+- When you start the webapp via `runserver`, you'll get a message that there are migrations that need to be run, with instructions. You can go ahead and do that, or do it later.
 
 ```bash
 ## setup directories
@@ -27,23 +28,21 @@ $ mkdir ./DBs
 $ git clone https://github.com/Brown-University-Library/django_template_42_project.git
 
 ## update project-name (line below is a single long line; clarifying in case it wraps)
-$ /path/to/python3 ./django_template_42_project/update_project_and_app_references.py --target_dir "./django_template_42_project/" --new_project_name "x_project" --new_app_name "x_app"  
+$ uv run --python 3.8 ./django_template_42_project/update_project_and_app_references.py --target_dir "./django_template_42_project/" --new_project_name "x_project" --new_app_name "x_app"  
 
 ## setup the envar-settings
 $ cd ./x_project/
 $ cp ./config/dotenv_example_file.txt ../.env
 
-## setup the virtual-environment
-$ /path/to/python3 -m venv ../venv
-$ source ../venv/bin/activate
-(venv) $ pip install pip-tools
-(venv) $ pip-compile ./config/requirements/requirements_base.in
-(venv) $ pip install -r ./config/requirements/requirements_base.txt
-(venv) $ python ./manage.py runserver
+## run the app
+$ uv run ./manage.py runserver
 ```
 
 That's it!
 
+[uv_link]: <https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/>
+[old]: <https://github.com/Brown-University-Library/django_template_42_project/tree/56b0bc3bc2211e50c418dbed7b588c2092dcc9e5>
+
 ---
 
 # stuff to try
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ That's it!
 
 - Try <http://127.0.0.1:8000/version/>. Once you `git init`, `git add --all`, and `git commit -am "initial commit"`, it'll show the branch and commit -- super-handy for dev and prod confirmations.
 
-- Try `(venv) $ python ./manage.py test`. There are two simple tests that should pass. (Requires venv to be sourced.)
+- Try `$ uv run ./manage.py test`. There are two simple tests that should pass.
 
 - Check out the logs (`project_stuff/logs/`). The envar log-level is `DEBUG`, easily changed. On the servers that should be `INFO` or higher, and remember to rotate them, not via python's log-rotate -- but by the server's log-rotate.
 
diff --git a/manage.py b/manage.py
index eb34647..e52507b 100755
--- a/manage.py
+++ b/manage.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
+import django  # for the "in case you're curious about versions" code
+
 
 def main():
     """Run administrative tasks."""
@@ -33,4 +35,10 @@ def main():
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
+    ## in case you're curious about versions -- feel free to comment out
+    if os.environ.get('RUN_MAIN') != 'true':
+        major, minor, micro = sys.version_info[:3]
+        print(f'using python version, ``{major}.{minor}.{micro}``')
+        print(f'using django version, ``{django.get_version()}``')
+
     main()