diff --git a/README b/README
deleted file mode 100644
index 9cb64a8ada..0000000000
--- a/README
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-In case you want to use the full apps repo within your ownCloud installation (most probably for development)
-you can follow these steps:
-
-1. clone this repo into your ownCloud installation into a new folder (maybe called apps2):
-   git clone git@github.com:owncloud/apps.git apps2
-
-2. add this additional apps folder to your configuration (config/config.php):
-  'apps_paths' =>
-  array (
-    0 =>
-    array (
-      'path' => OC::$SERVERROOT.'/apps',
-      'url' => '/apps',
-      'writable' => false,
-    ),
-    1 =>
-    array (
-      'path' => OC::$SERVERROOT.'/apps2',
-      'url' => '/apps2',
-      'writable' => false,
-    )
-    ),
-
-3. Done ;-)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..90c8876c8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+This repository is *archived*.
+
+Most apps are outdated and incompatible with recent ownCloud versions.
+
+The following apps were moved out:
+- external: moved to https://github.com/owncloud/external
+- user_external: moved to https://github.com/owncloud/user_external
+- user_cas: obsoleted by https://marketplace.owncloud.com/apps/user_cas
+