diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES.md
similarity index 52%
rename from CHANGES
rename to CHANGES.md
index 42b7a40..1d1d17c 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,99 +1,97 @@
-Version 0.8.6:
-- Added four methods to the 'PCM' class to allow users to get detailed information about the device:
+# Version 0.9.0:
+- Added keyword arguments for channels, format, rate and periodsize
+- Deprecated `setchannel`, `setformat`, `setrate` and `setperiodsize`
 
-  - 'getformats()' returns a dictionary of name / value pairs, one for each of the card's
-    supported formats - e.g. '{"U8": 1, "S16_LE": 2}',
-  - 'getchannels()' returns a list of the supported channel numbers, e.g. '[1, 2]',
-  - 'getrates()' returns supported sample rates for the device, e.g. '[48000]',
-  - 'getratebounds()' returns the device's official minimum and maximum supported 
-    sample rates as a tuple, e.g. '(4000, 48000)'.
+# Version 0.8.6:
+- Added four methods to the `PCM` class to allow users to get detailed information about the device:
+
+  - `getformats()` returns a dictionary of name / value pairs, one for each of the card's
+    supported formats - e.g. `{"U8": 1, "S16_LE": 2}`,
+  - `getchannels()` returns a list of the supported channel numbers, e.g. `[1, 2]`,
+  - `getrates()` returns supported sample rates for the device, e.g. `[48000]`,
+  - `getratebounds()` returns the device's official minimum and maximum supported 
+    sample rates as a tuple, e.g. `(4000, 48000)`.
   
   (#82 contributed by @jdstmporter)
 
 - Prevent hang on close after capturing audio (#80 contributed by @daym)
 
-Version 0.8.5:
-- Return an empty string/bytestring when 'read()' detects an 
+# Version 0.8.5:
+- Return an empty string/bytestring when `read()` detects an 
   overrun. Previously the returned data was undefined (contributed by @jcea)
 
 - Unlimited setperiod buffer size when reading frames (contributed by @jcea)
 
-Version 0.8.4:
+# Version 0.8.4:
 - Fix Python3 API usage broken in 0.8.3
 
-Version 0.8.3:
+# Version 0.8.3:
 - Add DSD sample formats (contributed by @lintweaker)
 - Add Mixer.handleevents() to acknowledge events identified by select.poll (contributed by @PaulSD)
 - Add functions for listing cards and their names (contributed by @chrisdiamand)
 - Add a method for setting enums (contributed by @chrisdiamand)
 
-Version 0.8.2:
+# Version 0.8.2:
 - fix #3 (we cannot get the revision from git for pip installs)
 
-Version 0.8.1:
+# Version 0.8.1:
 - document changes (this file)
 
-Version 0.8:
-- 'PCM()' has new 'device' and 'cardindex' keyword arguments.
+# Version 0.8:
+- `PCM()` has new `device` and `cardindex` keyword arguments.
 
-  The keyword 'device' allows to select virtual devices, 'cardindex' can be
-  used to select hardware cards by index (as with 'mixers()' and 'Mixer()').
+  The keyword `device` allows to select virtual devices, `cardindex` can be
+  used to select hardware cards by index (as with `mixers()` and `Mixer()`).
 
-  The 'card' keyword argument is still supported, but deprecated.
+  The `card` keyword argument is still supported, but deprecated.
 
-  The reason for this change is that the 'card' keyword argument guessed
+  The reason for this change is that the `card` keyword argument guessed
   a device name from the card name, but this only works sometimes, and breaks
   opening virtual devices.
 
-- new function 'pcms()' to list available PCM devices.
+- new function `pcms()` to list available PCM devices.
 
-- mixers() and Mixer() take an additional 'device' keyword argument.
+- `mixers()` and `Mixer()` take an additional `device` keyword argument.
   This allows to list or open virtual devices.
 
-- The default behaviour of Mixer() without any arguments has changed.
-  Now Mixer() will try to open the 'default' Mixer instead of the Mixer
+- The default behaviour of `Mixer()` without any arguments has changed.
+  Now Mixer() will try to open the `default` Mixer instead of the Mixer
   that is associated with card 0.
 
 - fix a memory leak under Python 3.x
 
 - some more memory leaks in error conditions fixed.
 
-Version 0.7:
+# Version 0.7:
 - fixed several memory leaks (patch 3372909), contributed by Erik Kulyk)
 
-
-Version 0.6:
+# Version 0.6:
 - mostly reverted patch 2594366: alsapcm_setup did not do complete error
 checking for good reasons; some ALSA functions in alsapcm_setup may fail without
 rendering the device unusable
 
-
-Version 0.5:
+# Version 0.5:
 - applied patch 2777035: Fixed setrec method in alsaaudio.c
   This included a mixertest with more features
 - fixed/applied patch 2594366: alsapcm_setup does not do any error checking
 
-
-Version 0.4:
+# Version 0.4:
 - API changes: mixers() and Mixer() now take a card index instead of a
   card name as optional parameter.
 - Support for Python 3.0
 - Documentation converted to reStructuredText; use Sphinx instead of LaTeX.
-- added cards()
-- added PCM.close()
-- added Mixer.close()
-- added mixer.getenum()
+- added `cards()`
+- added `PCM.close()`
+- added `Mixer.close()`
+- added `mixer.getenum()`
 
-
-Version 0.3:
-- wrapped blocking calls with Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS/Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
+# Version 0.3:
+- wrapped blocking calls with `Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS`/`Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS`
 - added pause
 
-
-Version 0.2:
+# Version 0.2:
 - Many bugfixes related to playback in particular
 - Module documentation in the doc subdirectory
 
-
-Version 0.1:
+# Version 0.1:
 - Initial version
diff --git a/NOTES.md b/NOTES.md
deleted file mode 100644
index c9bf577..0000000
--- a/NOTES.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-# Publishing the documentation
-
- - Install Sphinx; `sudo pip install sphinx`
- - Clone gh-pages branch: `cd doc; git clone -b gh-pages git@github.com:larsimmisch/pyalsaaudio.git gh-pages`
- - `cd doc; make publish`
-
-# Release procedure
-
- - Update version number in setup.py
- - Create tag and push it, i.e. `git tag x.y.z; git push origin x.y.z`
- - `python setup.py sdist upload -r pypi`