diff --git a/doc/Registry.md b/doc/Registry.md
index d369ba57..b16eb972 100644
--- a/doc/Registry.md
+++ b/doc/Registry.md
@@ -1,182 +1,214 @@
 Registry
 ========
-PBot's behavior can be customized via a central registry of key/value pairs segregated by sections.
-
 
 <!-- md-toc-begin -->
-* [Registry](#registry)
-  * [Overriding registry values per-channel](#overriding-registry-values-per-channel)
-  * [regadd](#regadd)
-  * [regrem](#regrem)
-  * [regshow](#regshow)
-  * [regset](#regset)
-    * [Registry metadata list](#registry-metadata-list)
-  * [regunset](#regunset)
-  * [regchange](#regchange)
-  * [regfind](#regfind)
-  * [Creating array values](#creating-array-values)
-  * [List of recognized registry items](#list-of-recognized-registry-items)
+  * [About](#about)
+    * [Types of values](#types-of-values)
+    * [Creating array values](#creating-array-values)
+    * [Overriding registry values per-channel](#overriding-registry-values-per-channel)
+  * [Overriding Registry values via command-line](#overriding-registry-values-via-command-line)
+  * [Registry commands](#registry-commands)
+    * [regset](#regset)
+    * [regunset](#regunset)
+    * [regchange](#regchange)
+    * [regshow](#regshow)
+    * [regfind](#regfind)
+    * [regsetmeta](#regsetmeta)
+    * [regunsetmeta](#regunsetmeta)
+  * [Editing Registry file](#editing-registry-file)
+  * [Metadata list](#metadata-list)
+  * [List of known registry items](#list-of-known-registry-items)
 <!-- md-toc-end -->
 
+## About
+PBot's behavior can be customized via a central registry of key/value pairs segregated by sections.
 
+### Types of values
 There are two types of registry values: literals and arrays.  Literals can be strings, floats or integers.  Arrays are comma-separated lists of literals.
 
-Overriding registry values per-channel
---------------------------------------
+### Creating array values
+Use the [regsetmeta](#regsetmeta) command to change the `type` [meta-data key](#metadata-list) to `array`, and set the registry value to a comma-separated list of values.
+
+    <pragma-> !regset foo.animals aardvark, badger, cat, dingo
+       <PBot> foo.animals set to aardvark, badger, cat, dingo
+
+    <pragma-> !regsetmeta foo.animals type array
+       <PBot> foo.animals: 'type' set to 'array'
+
+### Overriding registry values per-channel
 Some key/value pairs belonging to a specific section may be overridden on a per-channel basis by setting the key/value in a channel-specific section.
 
-For example, the bot's trigger is defined in `general.trigger`. You may add a trigger key in `#channel` to override the trigger value for that channel: `#channel.trigger`.
+For example, the bot's trigger is defined in `general.trigger`. You may add a `trigger` registry item in `#channel` to override the value for that channel: `#channel.trigger`.
 
-For another example, the anti-flood max lines is defined in `antiflood.chat_flood_threshold`. To override this setting in `#neatchannel`, you can set `#neatchannel.chat_flood_threshold`.
+## Overriding Registry values via command-line
+You may override the Registry values via the PBot start-up command-line. Such
+overrides are permanent and will be saved.
 
-regadd
-------
-`regadd` adds a new registry value to a specific section/channel.
+    $ ./pbot data_dir=mybot irc.botnick=coolbot irc.server=freenode.net irc.port=6667
 
-Usage: `regadd <section> <key> <value>`
+## Registry commands
+### regset
+`regset` sets a new registry item or updates an existing item.
+
+Usage: `regset <section>.<item> <value>`
 
 For example, to override the trigger for #mychannel to be any of `,`, `!` or `%`:
 
-    <pragma> regadd #mychannel trigger [,!%]
-      <PBot> [#mychannel] trigger set to [,!%]
+    <pragma> !regset #mychannel.trigger [,!%]
+      <PBot> #mychannel.trigger set to [,!%]
 
-Some registry values can be *regular expressions*, like the above trigger example.  Setting `general.trigger` to the character class `[,!%]` means that it will respond to `,` `!` and `%` as trigger characters on a general basis.
+### regunset
+`regunset` removes a registry item from a specific section/channel.
 
-regrem
-------
-`regrem` removes a registry key from a specific section/channel.
+Usage: `regunset <section>.<item>`
 
-Usage: `regrem <section> <key>`
-
-regshow
--------
-`regshow` displays the type and value of a specific key.
-
-Usage: `regshow <section> <key>`
-
-    <pragma> regshow antiflood chat_flood_punishment
-      <PBot> [antiflood] chat_flood_punishment: 60,300,3600,86400,604800,2419200 [array]
-
-regset
-------
-`regset` sets the meta-data values for a specific registry key. See [registry meta-data list](#Registry_metadata_list).
-
-If you omit the `<key>` argument, it will list all the defined keys and values for the registry item.  If you specify `<key>` but omit `<value>`, it will show the value for that specific key.
-
-Usage: `regset <section> <item> [key [value]]`
-
-     <pragma> regset irc botnick value pangloss
-            * PBot changed nick to pangloss
-    <pangloss> [irc] botnick: 'value' set to 'pangloss'
-
-### Registry metadata list
-This is a list of recognized registry meta-data keys.
-
-* `type`: sets the type of this registry key; values can be `text` (literal) or `array`.
-* `value`: the value of this registry key.
-* `private`: whether the value of the registry key is displayed in regset, regshow or regfind. If set to a true value, the value of the registry key will be shown as "**\<private\>**".
-
-regunset
---------
-`regunset` deletes a meta-data key from a registry key.
-
-Usage: `regunset <section> <item> <key>`
-
-regchange
----------
+### regchange
 `regchange` changes the value of a registry item using a *regular substitution expression*.
 
-Usage: `regchange <section> <item> s/<pattern>/<replacement>/`
+Usage: `regchange <section>.<item> s/<pattern>/<replacement>/`
 
-    <pragma> regadd foo bar Hello, world!
-      <PBot> [foo] bar set to Hello, world!
-    <pragma> regchange foo bar s/world/universe/
-      <PBot> [foo] bar set to Hello, universe!
+    <pragma-> regset foo.bar Hello, world!
+       <PBot> foo.bar set to Hello, world!
 
-regfind
--------
+    <pragma-> regchange foo.bar s/world/universe/
+       <PBot> foo.bar set to Hello, universe!
+
+### regshow
+`regshow` displays the type and value of a registry item.
+
+Usage: `regshow <section>.<item>`
+
+    <pragma-> !regshow antiflood.chat_flood_punishment
+       <PBot> antiflood.chat_flood_punishment: 60,300,3600,86400,604800,2419200 [array]
+
+### regfind
 `regfind` searches for registry items, and may optionally show the values of all matching items.
 
 Usage: `regfind [-showvalues] [-section <section>] <regex>`
 
 To limit the search to a specific section, use `-section <section>`. To dump the entire registry, use `regfind -showvalues .*`
 
-Creating array values
----------------------
-Use the [regset](#regset) command to change the `type` meta-data value to "array", and set the registry value to a comma-separated list of values.
+### regsetmeta
+`regsetmeta` sets the meta-data values for a specific registry key. See [registry meta-data list](#metadata-list).
 
-    <pragma> regadd foo animals aardvark, badger, cat, dingo
-      <PBot> [foo] animals set to aardvark, badger, cat, dingo
-    <pragma> regset foo animals type array
-      <PBot> [foo] animals: 'type' set to 'array'
+If you omit the `<key>` argument, it will list all the defined keys and values for the registry item.  If you specify `<key>` but omit `<value>`, it will show the value for that specific key.
 
-List of recognized registry items
----------------------------------
+Usage: `regsetmeta <section>.<item> [key [value]]`
 
-* antiaway.bad_actions
-* antiaway.bad_nicks
-* antiaway.kick_msg
-* antiflood.chat_flood_punishment
-* antiflood.chat_flood_threshold
-* antiflood.chat_flood_time_threshold
-* antiflood.debug_checkban
-* antiflood.dont_enforce_admins
-* antiflood.enforce
-* antiflood.enter_abuse_max_offenses
-* antiflood.enter_abuse_punishment
-* antiflood.enter_abuse_threshold
-* antiflood.enter_abuse_time_threshold
-* antiflood.join_flood_punishment
-* antiflood.join_flood_threshold
-* antiflood.join_flood_time_threshold
-* antiflood.nick_flood_punishment
-* antiflood.nick_flood_threshold
-* antiflood.nick_flood_time_threshold
-* antikickautorejoin.punishment
-* antikickautorejoin.threshold
-* bantracker.chanserv_ban_timeout
-* bantracker.debug
-* bantracker.mute_timeout
-* factoids.default_rate_limit
-* general.compile_blocks_channels
-* general.compile_blocks
-* general.compile_blocks_ignore_channels
-* general.config_dir
-* general.data_dir
-* general.deop_timeout
-* general.module_dir
-* general.module_repo
-* general.paste_ratelimit
-* general.show_url_titles_channels
-* general.show_url_titles
-* general.show_url_titles_ignore_channels
-* general.trigger
-* interpreter.max_recursion
-* irc.botnick
-* irc.debug
-* irc.identify_password
-* irc.server
-* irc.log_default_handler
-* irc.max_msg_len
-* irc.port
-* irc.realname
-* irc.show_motd
-* irc.SSL_ca_file
-* irc.SSL_ca_path
-* irc.SSL
-* irc.username
-* lagchecker.lag_history_interval
-* lagchecker.lag_history_max
-* lagchecker.lag_threshold
-* messagehistory.debug_aka
-* messagehistory.debug_link
-* messagehistory.max_messages
-* messagehistory.sqlite_commit_interval
-* messagehistory.sqlite_debug
-* nicklist.debug
-* [channel].dont_enforce_antiflood
-* [channel].max_newlines
-* [channel].no_url_titles
-* [channel].no_compile_blocks
-* [channel].preserve_newlines
+For example, this directly sets the `value` meta-data key of `irc.botnick`.
+
+     <pragma-> !regsetmeta irc.botnick value candide
+             * PBot changed nick to candide
+     <candide> irc.botnick: 'value' set to 'candide'
+
+That example is equivalent to `regset irc.botnick candide`.
+
+### regunsetmeta
+`regunset` deletes a meta-data key from a registry item.
+
+Usage: `regunset <section>.<item> <key>`
+
+## Editing Registry file
+You may edit the Registry file manually. It is located as `$data_dir/registry`. Its
+contents are plain-text JSON.
+
+This is a sample entry:
+
+    "irc" : {
+      "botnick" : {
+         "type" : "text",
+         "value" : "PBot"
+      }
+    }
+
+After editing an entry in the Registry file, you may reload it with the `reload` command.
+
+    <pragma-> !reload registry
+       <PBot> Registry reloaded.
+
+## Metadata list
+This is a list of recognized registry meta-data keys.
+
+Name | Description
+--- | ---
+`type` | Sets the type of the registry item; values can be `text` (literal) or `array`.
+`value` | The value of the registry item.
+`private` | Whether the value of the registry item is displayed in the `regset`, `regshow` or `regfind` commands. If set to a true value, the value of the registry key will be shown as `**\<private\>**`.
+
+## List of known registry items
+This is a list of recognized registry items at the time of this writing.
+
+Name | Description | Default value
+--- | --- | ---
+antiaway.bad_actions | If a message matches against this regex, it is considered an Away action. |
+antiaway.bad_nicks | If a user changes their nick and the new nick matches this regex, it is considered an Away nick. |
+antiaway.kick_msg | The message to use when kicking Away offenders. |
+antiflood.chat_flood_punishment ||
+antiflood.chat_flood_threshold ||
+antiflood.chat_flood_time_threshold ||
+antiflood.debug_checkban ||
+antiflood.dont_enforce_admins ||
+antiflood.enforce ||
+antiflood.enter_abuse_max_offenses ||
+antiflood.enter_abuse_punishment ||
+antiflood.enter_abuse_threshold ||
+antiflood.enter_abuse_time_threshold ||
+antiflood.join_flood_punishment ||
+antiflood.join_flood_threshold ||
+antiflood.join_flood_time_threshold ||
+antiflood.nick_flood_punishment ||
+antiflood.nick_flood_threshold ||
+antiflood.nick_flood_time_threshold ||
+antikickautorejoin.punishment ||
+antikickautorejoin.threshold ||
+bantracker.chanserv_ban_timeout ||
+bantracker.debug ||
+bantracker.mute_timeout ||
+factoids.default_rate_limit ||
+general.compile_blocks_channels ||
+general.compile_blocks ||
+general.compile_blocks_ignore_channels ||
+general.config_dir ||
+general.data_dir ||
+general.deop_timeout ||
+general.module_dir ||
+general.module_repo ||
+general.paste_ratelimit ||
+general.show_url_titles_channels ||
+general.show_url_titles ||
+general.show_url_titles_ignore_channels ||
+general.trigger ||
+interpreter.max_recursion ||
+irc.botnick ||
+irc.debug ||
+irc.identify_password ||
+irc.server ||
+irc.log_default_handler ||
+irc.max_msg_len ||
+irc.port ||
+irc.realname ||
+irc.show_motd ||
+irc.SSL_ca_file ||
+irc.SSL_ca_path ||
+irc.SSL ||
+irc.username ||
+lagchecker.lag_history_interval ||
+lagchecker.lag_history_max ||
+lagchecker.lag_threshold ||
+messagehistory.debug_aka ||
+messagehistory.debug_link ||
+messagehistory.max_messages ||
+messagehistory.sqlite_commit_interval ||
+messagehistory.sqlite_debug ||
+nicklist.debug ||
+
+Some items only exist as a channel-specific item.
+
+Name | Description | Default value
+--- | --- | ---
+[channel].dont_enforce_antiflood ||
+[channel].max_newlines ||
+[channel].no_url_titles ||
+[channel].no_compile_blocks ||
+[channel].preserve_newlines ||