diff --git a/docs/_includes/fields.md b/docs/_includes/fields.md
index 72beb0f..96ceadb 100644
--- a/docs/_includes/fields.md
+++ b/docs/_includes/fields.md
@@ -1,8 +1,36 @@
 {% if site.brooklyn-version contains 'SNAPSHOT' %}{% capture SNAPSHOT %}true{% endcapture %}{% endif %}
 
-{% capture maven_this_version_base_url %}http://developers.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/{% if SNAPSHOT %}snapshots/{% else %}releases/{% endif %}{% endcapture %}
-{% capture dist_url_dir %}{{ maven_this_version_base_url }}io/brooklyn/brooklyn-dist/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}{% endcapture %}
-{% if SNAPSHOT %}{% else %}
-  {% capture dist_url_zip %}{{ dist_url_dir }}/brooklyn-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}-dist.zip{% endcapture %}
-  {% capture dist_url_zip %}{{ dist_url_tgz }}/brooklyn-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}-dist.tar.gz{% endcapture %}
+{% capture brooklyn_examples_branch %}{% if SNAPSHOT %}{{ site.brooklyn-snapshot-git-branch }}{% else %}{{ site.brooklyn-version }}{% endif %}{% endcapture %}
+
+{% capture cloudsoft_snapshots_base_url %}http://developers.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/snapshots/{% endcapture %}
+{% capture cloudsoft_releases_base_url %}http://developers.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/releases/{% endcapture %}
+{% capture cloudsoft_this_version_base_url %}http://developers.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/{% if SNAPSHOT %}snapshots/{% else %}releases/{% endif %}{% endcapture %}
+
+{% capture cloudsoft_this_version_groupid_url %}{{ cloudsoft_this_version_base_url }}io/brooklyn/{% endcapture %}
+{% capture cloudsoft_this_dist_url_dir %}{{ cloudsoft_this_version_groupid_url }}brooklyn-dist/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/{% endcapture %}
+{% capture cloudsoft_this_alljar_url_dir %}{{ cloudsoft_this_version_groupid_url }}brooklyn-all/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/{% endcapture %}
+
+<!--- both snapshots and releases -->
+{% capture sonatype_repo_groupid_url %}https://oss.sonatype.org/content/groups/public/io/brooklyn/{% endcapture %}
+<!--- releases --> 
+{% capture mavencentral_repo_groupid_url %}http://repo1.maven.org/maven2/io/brooklyn/{% endcapture %}
+
+{% if SNAPSHOT %}
+  {% capture this_anything_url_search %}https://oss.sonatype.org/index.html#nexus-search;gav~io.brooklyn~~{{ site.brooklyn-version }}~~{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_dist_url_search %}https://oss.sonatype.org/index.html#nexus-search;gav~io.brooklyn~brooklyn-dist~{{ site.brooklyn-version }}~~{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_alljar_url_search %}https://oss.sonatype.org/index.html#nexus-search;gav~io.brooklyn~brooklyn-dist~{{ site.brooklyn-version }}~~{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_dist_url_dir %}{{ sonatype_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-dist/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_alljar_url_dir %}{{ sonatype_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-all/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_dist_url_zip %}https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/artifact/maven/redirect?r=snapshots&g=io.brooklyn&v={{ site.brooklyn-version }}&a=brooklyn-dist&c=dist&e=zip{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_dist_url_tgz %}https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/artifact/maven/redirect?r=snapshots&g=io.brooklyn&v={{ site.brooklyn-version }}&a=brooklyn-dist&c=dist&e=tar.gz{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_alljar_url_jar  %}https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/artifact/maven/redirect?r=snapshots&g=io.brooklyn&v={{ site.brooklyn-version }}&a=brooklyn-all&c=with-dependencies&e=jar{% endcapture %}
+{% else %}<!--- RELEASE -->
+  {% capture this_anything_url_search %}http://search.maven.org/#search%7Cgav%7C1%7Cg%3A%22io.brooklyn%22%20AND%20AND%20v%3A%22{{ site.brooklyn-version }}%22{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_dist_url_search %}http://search.maven.org/#search%7Cgav%7C1%7Cg%3A%22io.brooklyn%22%20AND%20a%3A%22brooklyn-dist%22%20AND%20v%3A%22{{ site.brooklyn-version }}%22{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_alljar_url_search %}http://search.maven.org/#search%7Cgav%7C1%7Cg%3A%22io.brooklyn%22%20AND%20a%3A%22brooklyn-all%22%20AND%20v%3A%22{{ site.brooklyn-version }}%22{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_dist_url_dir %}{{ mavencentral_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-dist/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_alljar_url_dir %}{{ mavencentral_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-all/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_dist_url_zip %}{{ mavencentral_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-dist/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/brooklyn-dist-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}-dist.zip{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_dist_url_tgz %}{{ mavencentral_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-dist/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/brooklyn-dist-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}-dist.tar.gz{% endcapture %}
+  {% capture this_alljar_url_jar %}{{ mavencentral_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-all/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/brooklyn-all-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}-with-dependencies.jar{% endcapture %}
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/docs/start/download.md b/docs/start/download.md
index a53dd8e..c56c34f 100644
--- a/docs/start/download.md
+++ b/docs/start/download.md
@@ -17,61 +17,116 @@
 
 {% include fields.md %}
 
-You can grab the distribution artifact, containing Brooklyn, its dependencies and launch scripts, 
-here{% if site.brooklyn-version contains 'SNAPSHOT' %} (but please **check the date** on snapshot artifacts){% endif %}:
+Distribution archives containing Brooklyn as a standalone executable package 
+are available in the following formats and locations:
 
-* [{{ site.brooklyn-version }}]({{ dist_url_dir }}/)
-* [all stable versions](http://developers.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/releases/io/brooklyn/brooklyn-dist/)
-* [all snapshot versions](http://developers.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/snapshots/io/brooklyn/brooklyn-dist/)
+* **v{{ site.brooklyn-version }}** at
+  {% if SNAPSHOT %}[Sonatype]({{ this_dist_url_search }})
+  {% else %}[Maven Central]({{ this_dist_url_search }})
+  {% endif %}: 
+  **[zip]({{ this_dist_url_zip }})** 
+  **[tgz]({{ this_dist_url_tgz }})** 
+  **[dir]({{ this_dist_url_dir }})** 
+* **all stable versions**: 
+  at [Maven Central]({{ mavencentral_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-dist/)
+  and [Cloudsoft]({{ cloudsoft_releases_base_url}}io/brooklyn/brooklyn-dist/) 
+* **all snapshot versions**: 
+  at [Sonatype]({{ sonatype_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-dist/)
+  and [Cloudsoft]({{ cloudsoft_snapshots_base_url }}io/brooklyn/brooklyn-dist/)
 
 Just download your preferred flavour and unpack.
 
+{% if site.brooklyn-version contains 'SNAPSHOT' %} 
+**Please note**: You are reading the documentation for a snapshot version of Brooklyn.
+You should always confirm that the source and date for snapshot artifacts.
+{% endif %}
+
+
 <a name="alljar"></a>
 ## The All Jar
 
 You can grab a single JAR containing all of Brooklyn and its dependencies 
-here{% if site.brooklyn-version contains 'SNAPSHOT' %} (again please check the date on snapshot artifacts){% endif %}:
+here:
 
-* [{{ site.brooklyn-version }}]({{ maven_this_version_base_url }}io/brooklyn/brooklyn-all/{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/)
-* [all stable versions](http://developers.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/releases/io/brooklyn/brooklyn-all/)
-* [all snapshot versions](http://developers.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/snapshots/io/brooklyn/brooklyn-all/)
+* **v{{ site.brooklyn-version }}** at
+  {% if SNAPSHOT %}[Sonatype]({{ this_alljar_url_search }})
+  {% else %}[Maven Central]({{ this_alljar_url_search }})
+  {% endif %}: 
+  **[jar]({{ this_alljar_url_jar }})** 
+  **[dir]({{ this_alljar_url_dir }})** 
+* **all stable versions**: 
+  at [Maven Central]({{ mavencentral_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-all/)
+  and [Cloudsoft]({{ cloudsoft_releases_base_url}}/io/brooklyn/brooklyn-all/) 
+* **all snapshot versions**: 
+  at [Sonatype]({{ sonatype_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-all/)
+  and [Cloudsoft]({{ cloudsoft_snapshots_base_url }}io/brooklyn/brooklyn-all/)
 
-Just download your preferred flavour and add it to your classpath.
+Just download your preferred flavour and add it to your classpath{% if site.brooklyn-version contains 'SNAPSHOT' %} 
+(but again, check the source and date for snapshot JARs){% endif %}.
+
 
 <a name="examples"></a>
 ## Examples
 
-You can clone the most recent stable examples from the [brooklyn-examples git repository](http://github.com/brooklyncentral/brooklyn-examples):
+You can checkout the examples from the [brooklyn-examples git repository](http://github.com/brooklyncentral/brooklyn-examples).
+Maven (v3) is required to build them, as described [here]({{ site.url }}/dev/build/).
+The examples for this version ({{ site.brooklyn-version }}) are in the branch 
+`{% if SNAPSHOT %}{{ site.brooklyn-snapshot-git-branch }}{% else %}{{ site.brooklyn-version }}{% endif %}`,
+so if you have `git` and `mvn` already, you can simply:
 
 {% highlight bash %}
 % git clone https://github.com/brooklyncentral/brooklyn-examples.git
+% cd brooklyn-examples
+{% if brooklyn_examples_branch == 'master' %}{% else %}% git checkout {{ brooklyn_examples_branch }}
+{% endif %}% mvn clean install
 {% endhighlight %}
 
-You can also download them from [here](https://github.com/brooklyncentral/brooklyn-examples/tarball/master).
+{% if SNAPSHOT %}
+**Please note**: for snapshot versions of Brooklyn, 
+the examples in this repository may not be automatically synched.
+It is recommended that you use the code for the examples included
+in the main Brooklyn codebase, or use a released version.
+{% endif %}  
 
-If you prefer to do this from the command-line, use:
+If you don't use `git`, you can download the projects as a tarball instead
+from [this link](https://github.com/brooklyncentral/brooklyn-examples/tarball/{{ brooklyn_examples_branch }}). 
+These commands should do the trick:
 
 {% highlight bash %}
-% curl -L https://github.com/brooklyncentral/brooklyn-examples/tarball/master -o brooklyn-latest.tgz
+% curl -L -o brooklyn-examples-{{ brooklyn_examples_branch }}.tgz \
+     https://github.com/brooklyncentral/brooklyn-examples/tarball/{{ brooklyn_examples_branch }}
+% tar xvfz brooklyn-examples-{{ brooklyn_examples_branch }}.tgz
+% mv brooklyncentral-brooklyn-examples-* brooklyn-examples-{{ brooklyn_examples_branch }} \
+     # change the strange name which github assigns in the tarball
+% mvn clean install
 {% endhighlight %}
 
-If you are looking for a specific version (e.g. to run examples compiled for a specific Brooklyn version) try the following command:
+A good example to start with is the [Elastic Web Cluster]({{site.url}}/use/examples/webcluster.html).
 
-{% highlight bash %}
-% export BV=0.4.0-M2
-% curl -L https://github.com/brooklyncentral/brooklyn-examples/tarball/${BV} -o brooklyn-${BV}.tgz
-{% endhighlight %}
 
-Once you have the examples you can build them with [maven (v3)]({{site.url}}/dev/build/).
-
-Note however, that you still need to have the Brooklyn installed in order to run them.
-
-A good entry point is the [Elastic Web Cluster]({{site.url}}/use/examples/webcluster.html).
 
 <a name="maven"></a>
 ## Maven
 
-If you use maven, you can add Brooklyn with the following entries in your pom:
+If you use maven, you can add Brooklyn with the following in your pom:
+
+{% highlight xml %}
+    <dependencies>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>io.brooklyn</groupId>
+            <artifactId>brooklyn-all</artifactId>
+            <version>{{ site.brooklyn-version }}</version>
+        </dependency>
+    </dependencies>
+{% endhighlight %}
+
+`brooklyn-all` (used above) brings in all dependencies, including jclouds and Apache Whirr.
+If you prefer a smaller repo you might want just ``brooklyn-core``,  ``brooklyn-policies``, 
+and some of ``brooklyn-software-webapp``,  ``brooklyn-software-database``, ``brooklyn-software-messaging``, or others
+(browse the full list [here]({{ this_anything_url_search }})).
+
+If you wish to use the Sonatype and/or Cloudsoft repositories (particularly for snapshots),
+you can add some of the following sections:
 
 {% highlight xml %}
     <repositories>
@@ -81,6 +136,13 @@
         </repository>
         <!-- optional for snapshot versions -->
         <repository>
+            <id>sonatype-nexus-snapshots</id>
+            <name>Sonatype Nexus Snapshots</name>
+            <url>https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots</url>
+            <releases> <enabled>false</enabled> </releases>
+            <snapshots> <enabled>true</enabled> </snapshots>
+        </repository>
+        <repository>
             <id>cloudsoft-cloudfront-snapshots-repo</id>
             <url>http://developers.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/snapshots/</url>
             <snapshots>
@@ -90,22 +152,13 @@
            </snapshots>
          </repository>
     </repositories>
-        
-    <dependencies>
-        <dependency>
-            <groupId>io.brooklyn</groupId>
-            <artifactId>brooklyn-all</artifactId>
-            <version>{{ site.brooklyn-version }}</version>
-        </dependency>
-    </dependencies>
 {% endhighlight %}
 
-Brooklyn-All (used above) brings in all dependencies, including jclouds and Apache Whirr.
-If you prefer a smaller repo you might want just ``brooklyn-core``,  ``brooklyn-policies``, 
-and some of: ``brooklyn-software-webapp``,  ``brooklyn-software-database``, ``brooklyn-software-messaging``, ``brooklyn-systems-hadoop``.
-(Browse the full list [here](http://ccweb.cloudsoftcorp.com/maven/libs-snapshot-local/io/brooklyn/).)
+{% if SNAPSHOT %}
+**Please note**: to use a snapshot version of Brooklyn, you must either have Brooklyn built locally
+or one of the additional snapshot repositories above.
+{% endif %}
 
-**TODO: we are moving to mavencentral so the repositories section will shortly be unnecessary**
 
 <a name="source"></a>
 ## Source Code
diff --git a/docs/use/examples/before-begin.include.md b/docs/use/examples/before-begin.include.md
index d453943..547c57a 100644
--- a/docs/use/examples/before-begin.include.md
+++ b/docs/use/examples/before-begin.include.md
@@ -1,27 +1,30 @@
 ## Before You Begin
 
-To use the examples, you'll need ``curl``, ``java``, and ``maven`` (v3) installed.
+To use the examples, you'll need ``curl``, ``git``, ``java`` (1.6+), and ``maven`` (v3) installed.
 
 {% include fields.md %}
 
 {% if SNAPSHOT %}
 
-First, grab a copy of the Brooklyn snapshot distribution you wish to use from [the repo]({{ dist_url_dir }}/)
+First, grab a copy of the Brooklyn snapshot distribution you wish to use from 
+[the Sonatype snapshot repo]({{ sonatype_repo_groupid_url }}brooklyn-dist/)
 (or build it yourself following instructions [here]({{ site.url }}/dev/build/)),
 unpack it to your favourite location (e.g. `$(pwd)`), 
 and export `BROOKLYN_HOME`:
 
 {% highlight bash %}
+% curl -L -o brooklyn-dist-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}-dist.tar.gz {{ this_dist_tgz_url }}
+% tar xvzf brooklyn-dist-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}-dist.tar.gz
 % export BROOKLYN_HOME=$(pwd)/brooklyn-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/
 {% endhighlight %}
 
 {% else %}
 
-First, grab a copy of the Brooklyn distribution:
+First, grab a copy of the Brooklyn distribution and set up `BROOKLYN_HOME`:
 
 {% highlight bash %}
-% curl -LO {{ dist_url_tgz }}
-% tar xvzf brooklyn-dist-0.4.0-M2-dist.tar.gz
+% curl -LO {{ this_dist_url_tgz }}
+% tar xvzf brooklyn-dist-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}-dist.tar.gz
 % export BROOKLYN_HOME=$(pwd)/brooklyn-{{ site.brooklyn-version }}/
 {% endhighlight %}
 
@@ -33,13 +36,15 @@
 {% highlight bash %}
 % git clone https://github.com/brooklyncentral/brooklyn-examples.git
 % cd brooklyn-examples
-% git checkout {% if SNAPSHOT %}{{ site.brooklyn-snapshot-git-branch }}{% else %}{{ site.brooklyn-version }}{% endif %}
-% mvn clean install
+{% if brooklyn_examples_branch == 'master' %}{% else %}% git checkout {{ brooklyn_examples_branch }}
+{% endif %}% mvn clean install
 {% endhighlight %}
 
-{% if SNAPSHOT %}Please note, these instructions are for a SNAPSHOT release of Brooklyn,
+{% if SNAPSHOT %}
+Please note, these instructions are for a SNAPSHOT release of Brooklyn,
 so proceed with caution. 
-For the latest stable version, go [here](/meta/versions.html). {% endif %}
+For the latest stable version, go [here](/meta/versions.html). 
+{% endif %}
 For more information on ways to download Brooklyn please
 see the [download page]({{site.url}}/start/download.html).
 For more information on the Brooklyn CLI and launching apps,