+If any of the instructions above don't work, then you can try alternative instructions for [Mac](http://new-www.haskell.org/downloads/osx) or [Windows](http://new-www.haskell.org/downloads/windows) or [Ubuntu](http://new-www.haskell.org/downloads/linux). Note that this method doesn't install all the extensions that are part of the Haskell Platform, but only the core pieces of GHC. You can use Cabal to download and manage any extra extensions you turn out to need, down the road.
+
+**After installing Haskell**, open a Terminal and type:
+
+ cabal update
+
+It may give you a message about updating your `PATH` variable. On my Mac, I first typed `echo $PATH` and verified that `/usr/local/bin` appeared somewhere in the resulting string. (The elements are divided by `:` characters.) Then I typed this:
+
+ echo 'export PATH="$HOME/Library/Haskell/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile
+
+That was to update my `PATH` variable as instructed by Cabal. On a Linux machine, or if you installed Haskell differently on your Mac, you might have to type instead:
+
+ echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.cabal/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile
+
+Some instructions may say to use `.bashrc` instead of `.bash_profile`. These files do similar jobs.
+
+After issuing the relevant `echo` command, I exited the Terminal and started a new Terminal session. Now if I type `echo $PATH` I should see the directory I just added in the list. Now I can contine setting up Cabal. I next type:
+
+ cabal install alex happy
+
+This installs some helper programs that Cabal needs to build and install some packages.
+