diff --git a/GPy/kern/kern.py b/GPy/kern/kern.py
index bf8ba612..f51c3c13 100644
--- a/GPy/kern/kern.py
+++ b/GPy/kern/kern.py
@@ -861,12 +861,15 @@ def kern_test(kern, X=None, X2=None, output_ind=None, verbose=False, X_positive=
         if X_positive:
             X = abs(X)
         if output_ind is not None:
+            assert(output_ind<kern.input_dim)
             X[:, output_ind] = np.random.randint(low=0,high=kern.parts[0].output_dim, size=X.shape[0])
+            import ipdb; ipdb.set_trace()
     if X2==None:
         X2 = np.random.randn(20, kern.input_dim)
         if X_positive:
             X2 = abs(X2)
         if output_ind is not None:
+            assert(output_ind<kern.input_dim)
             X2[:, output_ind] = np.random.randint(low=0, high=kern.parts[0].output_dim, size=X2.shape[0])
 
     if verbose:
diff --git a/GPy/testing/kernel_tests.py b/GPy/testing/kernel_tests.py
index 5d2fbeec..0fceac60 100644
--- a/GPy/testing/kernel_tests.py
+++ b/GPy/testing/kernel_tests.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class KernelTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_eq_sympykernel(self):
         if SYMPY_AVAILABLE:
             kern = GPy.kern.eq_sympy(5, 3)
-            self.assertTrue(GPy.kern.kern_test(kern, output_ind=3, verbose=verbose))
+            self.assertTrue(GPy.kern.kern_test(kern, output_ind=4, verbose=verbose))
 
     def test_ode1_eqkernel(self):
         if SYMPY_AVAILABLE:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0ff3d890..10ca8a83 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,6 +9,31 @@ A Gaussian processes framework in Python.
 
 Continuous integration status: ![CI status](https://travis-ci.org/SheffieldML/GPy.png)
 
+Getting started
+===============
+Installing with pip
+-------------------
+The simplest way to install GPy is using pip. 
+pip install gpy
+
+Ubuntu
+------
+For the most part, the developers are using ubuntu. To install the required packages:
+sudo apt-get install python-numpy python-scipy python-matplotlib
+
+clone this git repository and add it to your path:
+    git clone git@github.com:SheffieldML/GPy.git \<destination\>
+    echo "PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:\<detination\> > ~/.bashrc
+
+Windows
+-------
+On windows, we recommend the ![anaconda python distribution](http://continuum.io/downloads). We've also had luck with ![enthought](http://www.enthought.com). git clone or unzip the source to a suitable directory, and add a PYTHONPATH environement variable. 
+
+OSX
+---
+everything appears to work out-of-the box using ![enthought](http://www.enthought.com) on osx Mavericks.
+
+
 
 Compiling documentation:
 ========================