A plain text file that contains information about the software, placed on the distribution disks by the manufacturer.
The filename may vary slightly; it might be READ.ME, README.1ST, README.TXT, or README.DOC, for example. README files may contain last-minute, important information that is not in the program manuals or online help system.
You should always look for a README file when installing a new program on your system; it may contain information pertinent to your specific configuration. You can open a README file in any word processor or text editor because the file does not contain embedded formatting commands or program-specific characters.