--- repoze/what/release.py.orig	2009-08-10 10:36:03.000000000 -0400
+++ repoze/what/release.py	2009-08-10 10:36:40.000000000 -0400
@@ -24,10 +24,7 @@
 
 import os
 
-_here = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
-_root = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(_here))
-
-version = open(os.path.join(_root, 'VERSION.txt')).readline().rstrip()
+version = '$VERSION' 
 
 # The major version: If version=='3.0.2rc4', the major version is int(3).
 major_version = int(version.split('.')[0])