diff --git a/maxsat/README-external.txt b/maxsat/README-external.txt
index ea7de14fa..bfef1acaa 100644
--- a/maxsat/README-external.txt
+++ b/maxsat/README-external.txt
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-WARNING: this example still uses the old Z3 (version 3.x) C API. The current version is backward compatible. 
+WARNING: this example still uses the old Z3 (version 3.x) C API. 
+The current version is backward compatible. 
 
 This directory contains scripts to build the MaxSAT application using
 Microsoft C compiler, or gcc.
 
-1) Using Microsoft C compiler
+1) Using Microsoft C compiler (with binary release)
 
-Use 'build.cmd' to build the MaxSAT application using Microsoft C
-compiler.
+Use 'build.cmd' to build the MaxSAT application using Microsoft C compiler.
 
 Remark: The Microsoft C compiler (cl) must be in your path,
 or you can use the Visual Studio Command Prompt.
@@ -14,12 +14,3 @@ or you can use the Visual Studio Command Prompt.
 The script 'exec.cmd' adds the bin directory to the path. So, 
 maxsat.exe can find z3.dll.
 
-
-2) Using gcc
-
-Use 'build.sh' to build the MaxSAT application using gcc. 
-The script 'exec.sh' adds the bin directory to the path. So, 
-maxsat.exe can find z3.dll.
-
-Remark: the scripts 'build.sh' and 'exec.sh' assumes you are in a
-Cygwin or Mingw shell.
diff --git a/maxsat/README-linux.txt b/maxsat/README-linux.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index a575dbf21..000000000
--- a/maxsat/README-linux.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-WARNING: this example still uses the old Z3 (version 3.x) C API. The current version is backward compatible. 
-
-This directory contains scripts to build the MaxSAT application using gcc.
-
-Use 'build.sh' to build the MaxSAT application using gcc. 
-The script 'exec.sh' adds the lib directory to the path. So, 
-maxsat can find libz3.so.
-
diff --git a/maxsat/README-osx.txt b/maxsat/README-osx.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index c969b2516..000000000
--- a/maxsat/README-osx.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-WARNING: this example still uses the old Z3 (version 3.x) C API. The current version is backward compatible. 
-
-This directory contains scripts to build the MaxSAT application using gcc.
-
-Use 'build.sh' to build the MaxSAT application using gcc. 
-The script 'exec.sh' adds the lib directory to the path. So, 
-maxsat can find libz3.dylib.
-
diff --git a/maxsat/README.txt b/maxsat/README.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0e9e19077
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maxsat/README.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+WARNING: this example still uses the old Z3 (version 3.x) C API. 
+The current version is backward compatible. 
+
+This directory contains scripts to build the MaxSAT application using
+Microsoft C compiler, or gcc.
+
+1) Using Visual Studio (with Z3 source code release)
+
+Use the maxsat.vcxproj project file.
+
+2) Using gcc (on Linux or OSX)
+
+Use 'build.sh' to build the MaxSAT application using gcc. 
+
+You must install Z3 before running this example.
+To install Z3, execute the following command in the Z3 root directory.
+
+  sudo make install
+
+Use 'build.sh' to build the test application using gcc. 
+It generates the executable 'maxsat'.
diff --git a/maxsat/build-external-linux.sh b/maxsat/build-external-linux.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 9074e5a3f..000000000
--- a/maxsat/build-external-linux.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-gcc -fopenmp -o maxsat maxsat.c -I ../../include -L ../../lib -lz3
diff --git a/maxsat/build-external-osx.sh b/maxsat/build-external-osx.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index eca55574e..000000000
--- a/maxsat/build-external-osx.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-gcc -fopenmp -o maxsat maxsat.c -I ../../include -L ../../lib -lz3 
diff --git a/maxsat/build-external.sh b/maxsat/build-external.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 4be278a14..000000000
--- a/maxsat/build-external.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-gcc -o maxsat.exe -I ../../include ../../bin/z3.dll maxsat.c
diff --git a/maxsat/build-static-linux.sh b/maxsat/build-static-linux.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 3b6a2bbe8..000000000
--- a/maxsat/build-static-linux.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# Note: Z3 was built using C++, so libz3.a has C++ dependencies. 
-#       You can use gcc to link the program, but you need tell it 
-#       to link the C++ libraries
-g++ -fopenmp -static -I../../include -L../../lib maxsat.c -lz3 -o maxsat
diff --git a/maxsat/build-static-osx.sh b/maxsat/build-static-osx.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 1a54e0355..000000000
--- a/maxsat/build-static-osx.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# Note: Z3 was built using C++, so libz3.a has C++ dependencies. 
-#       You can use gcc to link the program, but you need tell it 
-#       to link the C++ libraries
-g++ -fopenmp  -I../../include maxsat.c ../../lib/libz3.a -o maxsat
diff --git a/maxsat/build.sh b/maxsat/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..22770c134
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maxsat/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+if gcc -fopenmp -o maxsat maxsat.c -lz3; then
+    echo "maxsat example was successfully compiled."
+    echo "To run example, execute:"
+    echo "  ./maxsat ex.smt"
+else
+    echo "You must install Z3 before compiling this example."
+    echo "To install Z3, execute the following command in the Z3 root directory."
+    echo "   sudo make install"
+fi
diff --git a/maxsat/exec-external-linux.sh b/maxsat/exec-external-linux.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index e366b5570..000000000
--- a/maxsat/exec-external-linux.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=../../lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
-./maxsat $1
diff --git a/maxsat/exec-external-osx.sh b/maxsat/exec-external-osx.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index e1df46aaa..000000000
--- a/maxsat/exec-external-osx.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=../../lib:$DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH
-./maxsat $1
diff --git a/maxsat/exec-external.sh b/maxsat/exec-external.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 6b2815614..000000000
--- a/maxsat/exec-external.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-export PATH=../../bin:$PATH
-./maxsat.exe $1