Update README.md

Updated Installation instructions. Added instructions for installing from the new ODM2 anaconda.org channel; and improved the other instructions.

Author: emiliom

README.md

@@ -5,29 +5,48 @@ A Python-based application programmer's interface for the Observations Data Mode
 
 [List of current and planned functions included in the API](https://github.com/ODM2/ODM2PythonAPI/blob/master/doc/APIFunctionList.md)
 
-### Installation
-
-Currently the easiest and most reliable way to install the ODM2 Python API (`odm2api`) is using the [Conda package management system](http://conda.pydata.org/docs/) via either [Anaconda](https://www.continuum.io/downloads) or [Miniconda](http://conda.pydata.org/miniconda.html). To create a new `odm2api` environment, first download the conda environment file [condaenvironment_1.yml](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ODM2/ODM2PythonAPI/master/condaenvironment_1.yml). Then, on a terminal shell:
-
-1. Add conda to the PATH; on MacOSX and Linux, it's something like `export PATH=$HOME/miniconda/bin:$PATH`, but the exact path may vary.
-2. Go to the directory where `condaenvironment_1.yml` was downloaded.
-3. Create a new conda environment. This command will create an environment called 'odm2api_env1':    
-
-  ```bash
-  conda env create -f condaenvironment_1.yml
-  ```
-4. Activate the new environment:    
-
-  ```bash
-  activate odm2api_env1  # On Windows
-  source activate odm2api_env1  # On MacOSX or Linux
-  ```
-5. Install the `odm2api` package into the environment:  
-
-  ```bash
-  pip install --process-dependency-links git+https://github.com/ODM2/ODM2PythonAPI.git
-  ```
-  
-### Credits
+## Installation
+
+The easiest and most reliable way to install the ODM2 Python API (`odm2api`) is using the [Conda package management system](http://conda.pydata.org/docs/) via either [Anaconda](https://www.continuum.io/downloads) or [Miniconda](http://conda.pydata.org/miniconda.html). To start using conda (if it's not your system default), add conda to the PATH; on MacOSX and Linux, it's something like `export PATH=$HOME/miniconda/bin:$PATH`, but the exact path may vary.
+
+To activate a conda environment, say, "myenv":
+```bash
+activate myenv  # On Windows
+source activate myenv  # On MacOSX or Linux
+```
+
+**Note:** `odm2api` currently is only tested on Python 2.7. Some changes have been made to support Python 3.x, but they haven't been tested thoroughly.
+
+
+### Latest release, from ODM2 anaconda.org channel
+
+The [latest `odm2api` release](https://github.com/ODM2/ODM2PythonAPI/releases) is available on the [ODM2 anaconda.org channel](https://anaconda.org/odm2/odm2api) for all major OS paltforms (linux, OSX, win32/win64). To install it on an existing conda environment:
+```
+conda install -c odm2 odm2api
+```
+All dependencies are installed, including Pandas and its dependencies (numpy, etc).
+
+To create a new environment "myenv" with the `odm2api` package:
+```
+conda create -n myenv -c odm2 python=2.7 odm2api
+```
+
+### Installing the development version from the `master` branch on github
+
+**Note from 4/26/2016:** These instructions may be slightly outdated. Follow these directions for installing the bleeding edge github master branch, mainly for development and testing purposes.
+
+To create a new environment "myenv" with `odm2api`, first download the conda environment file [condaenvironment_1.yml](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ODM2/ODM2PythonAPI/master/condaenvironment_1.yml). Go to the directory where `condaenvironment_1.yml` was downloaded. Then, on a terminal shell:
+```bash
+conda env create -n myenv --file py2_conda_environment.yml
+```
+Activate the new environment, then install `odm2api` into the environment:
+```bash
+activate odm2api_env1  # On Windows
+source activate odm2api_env1  # On MacOSX or Linux
+
+pip install --process-dependency-links git+https://github.com/ODM2/ODM2PythonAPI.git
+```
+
+## Credits
 
 This work was supported by National Science Foundation Grants [EAR-1224638](http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1224638) and [ACI-1339834](http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1339834). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.