Fancify README with Markdown, build status, links

Transition README into Markdown formatting, still persisting the
ability to read it as plain-text, asides from the status badges.

Add AppVeyor and Travis CI status badges to the top of the page.  Not
only does this make it easier to access build history, it's a pretty
quick way to tell if the build is working or not.

Add a few more handy links to (hopefully) help those stumbling across
Quassel's dev repo without prior knowledge.

Closes GH-209.

diff --git a/README b/README
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-Quassel IRC - Release Notes
-===========================
-
-Please find the current release notes at <http://quassel-irc.org>.
-
-On first run of the Quassel core, it will wait for a client to connect
-and present a first-run wizard that will allow you to create the database
-and one admin user for the core-side storage.
-
-To add more users, run: `quasselcore --add-user`
-To change the password of an existing user: `quasselcore --change-userpass=username`
-The manageusers.py script is deprecated.
-
-IRC is the preferred means of getting in touch with the developers.
-The Quassel IRC Team can be contacted on Freenode/#quassel (or
-#quassel.de).  We always welcome new users in our channels!
-
-Our homepage is <http://quassel-irc.org>
-The bugtracker can be found at <http://bugs.quassel-irc.org>
-The dev team can be reached by email: <devel@quassel-irc.org>
-
-Thanks for reading,
-~ The Quassel IRC Team

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
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+Quassel IRC [![Linux Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/quassel/quassel.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/quassel/quassel) [![Windows Build Status](https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/status/github/quassel/quassel?branch=master&svg=true)](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/quassel/quassel/branch/master)
+===============
+
+[Quassel IRC][web-home] is a modern, cross-platform, distributed IRC client,
+meaning that one (or multiple) client(s) can attach to and detach from a
+central core -- much like the popular combination of screen and a text-based
+IRC client such as WeeChat, but graphical.
+
+Not only do we aim to bring a pleasurable, comfortable chatting experience to
+all major platforms, but it's free - as in beer and as in speech, since we
+distribute Quassel under [the GPL](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html), and
+you are welcome to download and see for yourself!
+
+## Release notes
+You can find the current release notes on the [Quassel IRC homepage][web-home],
+as well as in this repository's [```ChangeLog```][repo-changelog].
+
+## Quick reference
+
+On first run of the Quassel core, it will wait for a client to connect
+and present a first-run wizard that will allow you to create the database
+and one admin user for the core-side storage.
+
+* To add more users, run: ```quasselcore --add-user```
+* To change the password of an existing user: ```quasselcore --change-userpass=username```
+
+On some systems, you may need to specify ```--configdir```, e.g.
+```quasselcore --configdir=/var/lib/quassel [command]```.
+
+The ```manageusers.py``` script is deprecated and should no longer be used.
+
+To learn more, see [the Quassel project wiki][docs-wiki] for in-depth
+documentation.
+
+## Getting involved
+
+IRC is the preferred means of getting in touch with the developers.
+
+The Quassel IRC Team can be contacted on **```Freenode/#quassel```**
+(or **```#quassel.de```**).  If you have trouble getting Quassel to connect,
+you can use [Freenode's webchat][help-freenode].
+
+We always welcome new users in our channels!
+
+You can learn more and reach out to us in several ways:
+* [Visit our homepage][web-home]
+* [Submit and browse issues on the bugtracker][dev-bugs]
+ * Github issues are not used, but [pull requests][dev-pr-new] are accepted!
+* [Email the dev team - devel@quassel-irc.org][dev-email]
+
+Thanks for reading,
+
+~ *The Quassel IRC Team*
+
+[web-home]: http://quassel-irc.org
+[dev-bugs]: http://bugs.quassel-irc.org
+[dev-email]: mailto:devel@quassel-irc.org
+[dev-pr-new]: https://github.com/quassel/quassel/pull/new/master
+[docs-wiki]: http://bugs.quassel-irc.org/projects/quassel-irc/wiki
+[help-freenode]: https://webchat.freenode.net?channels=%23quassel
+[repo-changelog]: ChangeLog