diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eb6c101c..3f5e276f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -370,6 +370,8 @@ See the 0readme_ethernet.txt file for details about the required network compone
 
    $ make {simulator-name (i.e. vax)}
 
+The makefile provided requires GNU make, which is the default make facility for most systems these days.  Any host system which doesn't have GNU make available as the default make facility may have it installed as 'gmake'.  GNU make (gmake) is generally available an installation package for all current operating systems which have a package installation system.
+
 #### Windows
 
 Compiling on windows is supported with recent versions of Microsoft Visual Studio (Standard or Express) and using GCC via the MinGW environment.  Things may also work under Cygwin, but that is not the preferred windows environment.  Not all features will be available as well as with either Visual Studio or MinGW.