diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9aaf424..4fe47f4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ See this for problems trying to clone into non-empty directory: https://stackove
 1. run `nix-shell` from $HOME. The `shell.nix` in this repo should have neovim, ripgrep, and packer as dependencies.
 2. open nvim anywhere. `nvim .`
 3. run `:PackerSync`
+ - if this doesn't work, try this to get nvim to load packer: `git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/wbthomason/packer.nvim\
+ ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/packer/start/packer.nvim`
 4. `:q` and then again `nvim .`
 
 #### Details
diff --git a/shell.nix b/shell.nix
index 0359eeb..08a60f3 100644
--- a/shell.nix
+++ b/shell.nix
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ pkgs.mkShell {
     go
     clang
     postgresql
-    neovim
-    ripgrep
     packer
+    ripgrep
+    neovim
     nodejs
     cmake
     rustc
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ pkgs.mkShell {
 
   shellHook = ''
     echo hello
+    echo "git:  $(git  --version)"
+    echo "htop: $(htop --version)"
+    echo "python: $(python --version)"
+    echo "gstreamer: $(gst-inspect-1.0 --version)"
   '';
 
   MY_ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE = "world";