diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9852e73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+require 'rake'
+ 
+desc "install the dot files into user's home directory"
+task :install do
+  replace_all = false
+  Dir['*'].each do |file|
+    next if %w[Rakefile README LICENSE].include? file
+    
+    if File.exist?(File.join(ENV['HOME'], ".#{file}"))
+      if replace_all
+        replace_file(file)
+      else
+        print "overwrite ~/.#{file}? [ynaq] "
+        case $stdin.gets.chomp
+        when 'a'
+          replace_all = true
+          replace_file(file)
+        when 'y'
+          replace_file(file)
+        when 'q'
+          exit
+        else
+          puts "skipping ~/.#{file}"
+        end
+      end
+    else
+      link_file(file)
+    end
+  end
+end
+ 
+def replace_file(file)
+  system %Q{rm "$HOME/.#{file}"}
+  link_file(file)
+end
+ 
+def link_file(file)
+  puts "linking ~/.#{file}"
+  system %Q{ln -s "$PWD/#{file}" "$HOME/.#{file}"}
+end
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