diff --git a/tools/snow-chibi b/tools/snow-chibi
index 8183f100..b478d4ae 100755
--- a/tools/snow-chibi
+++ b/tools/snow-chibi
@@ -54,31 +54,17 @@
 
 (define conf-spec
   ;; name type aliases doc
-  '((verbose? boolean (#\v "verbose") "...")
-    (silent? boolean (#\s "silent") "...")
-    (action? boolean ((not #\n) "action") "...")
-    (keep-files? boolean (#\k "keep-files") "...")
-    (force-build? boolean (#\f "force-build") "...")
-    (always-yes? boolean (#\y "always-yes") "...")
-    (test? boolean)
-    (implementation string)
-    (repository string)
-    (config filename)
-    (admin-dir dirname)
-    (temp-dir dirname)
-    (install-dir dirname)
-    (host string)
-    (local-root-repository dirname)
-    (local-user-repository dirname)
-    (install-prefix string)
-    (install-source-dir dirname)
-    (install-library-dir dirname)
-    (install-binary-dir dirname)
-    (install-doc-dir dirname)
-    (install-meta-dir dirname)
-    (library-extension string)
-    (installer symbol)
-    (implementations (list symbol))
+  '((verbose? boolean (#\v "verbose") "print additional informative messages")
+    (always-yes? boolean (#\y "always-yes") "answer all questions with yes")
+    (config filename "path to configuration file")
+    (host string "base uri of snow repository")
+    (local-root-repository dirname "repository cache dir for root")
+    (local-user-repository dirname "repository cache dir for non-root users")
+    (install-prefix string "prefix directory for installation")
+    (install-source-dir dirname "directory to install library source in")
+    (library-extension string "the extension to use for library files")
+    (installer symbol "name of installer to use")
+    (implementations (list symbol) "impls to install for, or 'all'")
     ))
 
 (define (conf-default-path name)