rf: updated guidelines and readme

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# Contributing to FreeSurfer
+
+If you have improvements to the FreeSurfer code base, send us a pull request! If you'd just like to point out a bug, please open up an issue or contact the [help list](https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/FreeSurferSupport).
+
+## Developing
+
+Our [developers guide](https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/DevelopersGuide) walks through the necessary instructions for correctly configuring and building the FreeSurfer source code. For those new to git, our [GitHub guide](https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/GitHub) covers some introductory topics on the suggested workflow.
+
+Commit messages should be descriptive and prefixed by one of the following context tags:
+
+ * `rf:` refactoring
+ * `bf:` bug fix
+ * `nf:` new feature
+ * `doc:` documentation updates
+
+So for example, a commit fixing a bug in the surface placement might be titled something along the lines of `bf: fixed vertex sse computation`.
+
+## Submitting changes
+
+For significant changes (anything beyond updating documentation), discuss your proposition via git issues, the help list, or any other method of communication with LCN developers before submitting a pull request. Additionally, make sure you've read our [Code of Conduct](https://github.com/freesurfer/freesurfer/blob/dev/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md) and run all appropriate unit and regression tests (successfully) as described in the [build guide](https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/BuildGuide).
+
+Please document your pull request with details including:
+
+  - An explanation of what you've changed... and *why*
+  - References to issues or previous discussions, where appropriate
+  - A summary of the tests that you've run on your branch
+
+**Thank you for contributing!**

README.md

@@ -1,19 +1,31 @@
-# FreeSurfer [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/freesurfer/freesurfer.svg?branch=dev)](https://travis-ci.org/freesurfer/freesurfer)
+<div align="center">
+  <img src="https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/pub/data/tmp/brain.png">
+  <p align="center">An open-source software suite for processing human brain MRI</p>
+  <img src="https://travis-ci.org/freesurfer/freesurfer.svg?branch=dev">
+</div>
 
->*The official FreeSurfer repository maintained by the Laboratory for Computational Neuroimaging*
+## Introduction
 
-### Documentation and Support
+FreeSurfer is a software package for the analysis and visualization of neuroimaging data from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. It is developed by the [Laboratory for Computational Neuroimaging](https://www.martinos.org/lab/lcn) at the [Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging](https://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu).
 
-FreeSurfer documentation is found online at https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki
+FreeSurfer provides full processing streams for structural and functional MRI and includes tools for linear and nonlinear registration, cortical and subcortical segmentation, cortical surface reconstruction, statistical analysis of group morphometry, diffusion MRI, PET analysis, and *much more*. It is also the structural MRI analysis software of choice for the [Human Connectome Project](http://www.humanconnectomeproject.org/about).
 
-For questions and support, email freesurfer@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu
+For expansive documentation on using and understanding FreeSurfer tools, please visit the [FS Wiki](https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki).
 
-### Building
+## Developer
 
-Please visit our [build guide](https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/BuildGuide) for information on how to build the source code.
+Please review the [contribution guidelines](https://github.com/freesurfer/freesurfer/blob/dev/CONTRIBUTING.md) and visit our [build guide](https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/BuildGuide) for step-by-step instructions on configuring and building the source code.
 
-### License
+## Support
 
-Terms and conditions for use, reproduction, distribution and contribution are found in the FreeSurfer software license agreement contained in the **LICENSE.txt** file and [on our wiki](https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/FreeSurferSoftwareLicense).
+If you've encountered an issue or have a question about using FreeSurfer, follow these steps to get help:
 
-*FreeSurfer © 2011-2019 The General Hospital Corporation (Boston, MA) "MGH"*
+  1. **Search the archives:** It is highly likely that someone else has run into the same problem before you. The fastest way to get answers is to [search the archives](https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]) of our mailing list.
+
+  2. **Ask a question:** [Subscribe](http://mail.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/freesurfer) to the mailing list and start a discussion!
+
+If you've found a bug in the software, feel free to open an issue or submit a patch after reviewing our [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/freesurfer/freesurfer/blob/dev/CONTRIBUTING.md) documentation.
+
+## License
+
+Terms and conditions for use, reproduction, distribution and contribution are found in [LICENSE.txt](https://github.com/freesurfer/freesurfer/blob/dev/LICENSE.txt).