diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 8368ddd..55a91e8 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ checksum = "ac07cdecf99051d9a5238b80f35af32cdeba5b336e55d957b318b50137e18da5"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "beady-eye"
-version = "0.16.0"
+version = "0.17.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64 0.23.1",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index e19707b..a6e668f 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "beady-eye"
-version = "0.16.0"
+version = "0.17.0"
 edition = "2021"
 rust-version = "1.88"
 description = "A tree of work in flight: bead graphs annotated with the live agents working them"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aed3b23..0e0f51d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ $ nix run github:CodeForBreakfast/beady-eye
 From your own flake, pin a release tag and take the package or the overlay:
 
 ```nix
-inputs.beady-eye.url = "github:CodeForBreakfast/beady-eye/v0.16.0";
+inputs.beady-eye.url = "github:CodeForBreakfast/beady-eye/v0.17.0";
 
 beady-eye.packages.${system}.default                # the package
 nixpkgs.overlays = [ beady-eye.overlays.default ];  # pkgs.beady-eye
diff --git a/RELEASE-NOTES/0.17.0.md b/RELEASE-NOTES/0.17.0.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..afd9a3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASE-NOTES/0.17.0.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+bdi 0.17.0
+
+Minor release, **0.16.0 → 0.17.0**.
+
+## Highlights
+
+**Install bdi as a herdr plugin.** `herdr plugin install CodeForBreakfast/beady-eye` gives a herdr user bdi without a Rust toolchain, downloading the matching release build. A key bound to `codeforbreakfast.beady-eye.open` opens it in a split beside the focused pane.
+
+**Plain-English messages.** Notices, conflict lines and error messages read as ordinary sentences instead of compressed clauses, and the config and socket errors now say what to change.
+
+## Maintenance
+
+README updates for the plugin install and the everyday view.
diff --git a/herdr-plugin.toml b/herdr-plugin.toml
index 8861f7e..4f95f8b 100644
--- a/herdr-plugin.toml
+++ b/herdr-plugin.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 id = "codeforbreakfast.beady-eye"
 name = "beady-eye"
-version = "0.16.0"
+version = "0.17.0"
 min_herdr_version = "0.9.1"
 platforms = ["linux", "macos"]
 description = "A tree of work in flight: bead graphs annotated with the live agents working them."