diff --git a/src/doc/user/usermanual.html b/src/doc/user/usermanual.html
index 73f46560..48d77ff2 100644
--- a/src/doc/user/usermanual.html
+++ b/src/doc/user/usermanual.html
@@ -7358,28 +7358,27 @@ for i in range(nres):
               </div>
             </div>
           </div>
-          <p>If you can install any or all of the following through
-          the package manager for your system, all the better.
-          Especially <span class="application">Qt</span> is a very
-          big piece of software, but you will most probably be able
-          to find a binary package.</p>
-          <p>If you are building for an exotic or older system, it
-          may be useful to note that functional improvements in
-          <span class="application">Recoll</span> have been
-          relatively marginal in recent versions, and that you may
-          make your life easier by using an older release, without
-          losing major function.</p>
+          <p>The following prerequisites are described in broad
+          terms and not as specific package names (which will
+          depend on the exact platform). The dependancies should be
+          available as packages on most common Unix derivatives,
+          and it should be quite uncommon that you would have to
+          build one of them.</p>
           <p>The shopping list:</p>
           <div class="itemizedlist">
             <ul class="itemizedlist" style=
             "list-style-type: disc;">
               <li class="listitem">
-                <p>The <code class="literal">autoconf</code>,
-                <code class="literal">automake</code> and
-                <code class="literal">libtool</code> triad. Only
-                <code class="literal">autoconf</code> is needed
-                before <span class="application">Recoll</span> and
-                including 1.21.</p>
+                <p>The <span class=
+                "command"><strong>autoconf</strong></span>,
+                <span class=
+                "command"><strong>automake</strong></span> and
+                <span class=
+                "command"><strong>libtool</strong></span> triad.
+                Only <span class=
+                "command"><strong>autoconf</strong></span> is
+                needed for <span class="application">Recoll</span>
+                1.21 and earlier.</p>
               </li>
               <li class="listitem">
                 <p>C++ compiler. Recent versions require C++11
@@ -7396,8 +7395,8 @@ for i in range(nres):
                 "command"><strong>xsltproc</strong></span> command.
                 For building the documentation (for <span class=
                 "application">Recoll</span> 1.21 and later). This
-                sometimes comes with the <code class=
-                "literal">libxslt</code> package. And also the
+                sometimes comes with the <span class=
+                "application">libxslt</span> package. And also the
                 Docbook XML and style sheet files.</p>
               </li>
               <li class="listitem">
@@ -7426,7 +7425,7 @@ for i in range(nres):
                 the <span class="application">Qt Webkit</span>
                 module, <span class="application">Recoll</span> has
                 a configuration option to disable its use (see
-                further).</p>
+                further in the configuration section).</p>
               </li>
               <li class="listitem">
                 <p>Development files for <span class=
diff --git a/src/doc/user/usermanual.xml b/src/doc/user/usermanual.xml
index 34f04ce2..30631b24 100644
--- a/src/doc/user/usermanual.xml
+++ b/src/doc/user/usermanual.xml
@@ -5716,25 +5716,19 @@ for i in range(nres):
       <sect2 id="RCL.INSTALL.BUILDING.PREREQS">
         <title>Prerequisites</title>
 
-        <para>If you can install any or all of the following through
-        the package manager for your system, all the
-        better. Especially <application>Qt</application> is a very
-        big piece of software, but you will most probably be able to
-        find a binary package.</para>
+        <para>The following prerequisites are described in broad terms and
+        not as specific package names (which will depend on the exact
+        platform). The dependancies should be available as packages on most
+        common Unix derivatives, and it should be quite uncommon that you
+        would have to build one of them.</para>
 
-        <para>If you are building for an exotic or older system, it may
-        be useful to note that functional improvements in &RCL;
-        have been relatively marginal in recent versions,
-        and that you may make your life easier by using an older
-        release, without losing major function.</para>
-        
         <para>The shopping list:</para>
         <itemizedlist>
 
-          <listitem><para>The <literal>autoconf</literal>,
-          <literal>automake</literal> and <literal>libtool</literal>
-          triad. Only <literal>autoconf</literal> is needed before &RCL;
-          and including 1.21.</para></listitem>
+          <listitem><para>The <command>autoconf</command>,
+          <command>automake</command> and <command>libtool</command>
+          triad. Only <command>autoconf</command> is needed for &RCL;
+          1.21 and earlier.</para></listitem>
 
           <listitem><para>C++ compiler. Recent versions require C++11
           compatibility (1.23 and later).</para>
@@ -5745,11 +5739,9 @@ for i in range(nres):
           </listitem>
 
           <listitem><para><command>xsltproc</command> command. For building
-          the documentation (for &RCL; 1.21
-          and later). This sometimes comes with the
-          <literal>libxslt</literal> package. And also the Docbook XML and
-          style sheet files.</para>
-          </listitem>
+          the documentation (for &RCL; 1.21 and later). This sometimes
+          comes with the <application>libxslt</application> package. And
+          also the Docbook XML and style sheet files.</para> </listitem>
 
           
           <listitem><para>Development files
@@ -5772,7 +5764,8 @@ for i in range(nres):
               was the last version to support <application>Qt 3</application>.
               If you do not want to install or build the
               <application>Qt Webkit</application> module, &RCL;
-              has a configuration option to disable its use (see further).
+              has a configuration option to disable its use (see further in
+              the configuration section).
             </para> 
           </listitem>