diff --git a/main/defaultsettings/README b/main/defaultsettings/README
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f5c92180
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/defaultsettings/README
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+This folder and all its subdirectories exist for the convenience of the TDE automated build system
+They are empty
+They are supposed to be empty
+
+All code, images, etc. for these packages is stored in the relevant portion of the distribution-specific GIT tree
diff --git a/main/defaultsettings/desktop-base/.gitignore b/main/defaultsettings/desktop-base/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/main/defaultsettings/kubuntu-default-settings/.gitignore b/main/defaultsettings/kubuntu-default-settings/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/main/defaultsettings/redmond-default-settings-ii/.gitignore b/main/defaultsettings/redmond-default-settings-ii/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/main/defaultsettings/redmond-default-settings/.gitignore b/main/defaultsettings/redmond-default-settings/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/main/metapackages/README b/main/metapackages/README
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f5c92180
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/metapackages/README
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+This folder and all its subdirectories exist for the convenience of the TDE automated build system
+They are empty
+They are supposed to be empty
+
+All code, images, etc. for these packages is stored in the relevant portion of the distribution-specific GIT tree
diff --git a/main/metapackages/casper-trinity/.gitignore b/main/metapackages/casper-trinity/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/main/metapackages/kubuntu-meta/.gitignore b/main/metapackages/kubuntu-meta/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/main/metapackages/meta-tde/.gitignore b/main/metapackages/meta-tde/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/main/metapackages/sudo-trinity/.gitignore b/main/metapackages/sudo-trinity/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/main/metapackages/trinity-livecd/.gitignore b/main/metapackages/trinity-livecd/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/main/metapackages/ubiquity-trinity/.gitignore b/main/metapackages/ubiquity-trinity/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb