diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..01c075c97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+echo "Generating configure files... may take a while."
+
+autoreconf --install --force && \
+  echo "Preparing was successful if there was no error messages above." && \
+  echo "Now type:" && \
+  echo "  ./configure && make"  && \
+  echo "Run './configure --help' for more information"