diff --git a/bin/addons/base/res/res_config.py b/bin/addons/base/res/res_config.py
index 6f87e8a83b9..e3b3d2df167 100644
--- a/bin/addons/base/res/res_config.py
+++ b/bin/addons/base/res/res_config.py
@@ -114,9 +114,97 @@ class res_config_configurable(osv.osv_memory):
 res_config_configurable()
 
 class res_config_installer(osv.osv_memory):
-    ''' New-style configuration base specialized for modules selection
+    """ New-style configuration base specialized for addons selection
     and installation.
-    '''
+
+    Basic usage
+    -----------
+
+    Subclasses can simply define a number of _columns as
+    fields.boolean objects. The keys (column names) should be the
+    names of the addons to install (when selected). Upon action
+    execution, selected boolean fields (and those only) will be
+    interpreted as addons to install, and batch-installed.
+
+    Additional addons
+    -----------------
+
+    It is also possible to require the installation of an additional
+    addon set when a specific preset of addons has been marked for
+    installation (in the basic usage only, additionals can't depend on
+    one another).
+
+    These additionals are defined through the ``_install_if``
+    property. This property is a mapping of a collection of addons (by
+    name) to a collection of addons (by name) [#]_, and if all the *key*
+    addons are selected for installation, then the *value* ones will
+    be selected as well. For example::
+
+        _install_if = {
+            ('sale','crm'): ['sale_crm'],
+        }
+
+    This will install the ``sale_crm`` addon if and only if both the
+    ``sale`` and ``crm`` addons are selected for installation.
+
+    You can define as many additionals as you wish, and additionals
+    can overlap in key and value. For instance::
+
+        _install_if = {
+            ('sale','crm'): ['sale_crm'],
+            ('sale','project'): ['project_mrp'],
+        }
+
+    will install both ``sale_crm`` and ``project_mrp`` if all of
+    ``sale``, ``crm`` and ``project`` are selected for installation.
+
+    Hook methods
+    ------------
+
+    Subclasses might also need to express dependencies more complex
+    than that provided by additionals. In this case, it's possible to
+    define methods of the form ``_if_%(name)s`` where ``name`` is the
+    name of a boolean field. If the field is selected, then the
+    corresponding module will be marked for installation *and* the
+    hook method will be executed.
+
+    Hook methods take the usual set of parameters (cr, uid, ids,
+    context) and can return a collection of additional addons to
+    install (if they return anything, otherwise they should not return
+    anything, though returning any "falsy" value such as None or an
+    empty collection will have the same effect).
+
+    Complete control
+    ----------------
+
+    The last hook is to simply overload the ``modules_to_install``
+    method, which implements all the mechanisms above. This method
+    takes the usual set of parameters (cr, uid, ids, context) and
+    returns a ``set`` of addons to install (addons selected by the
+    above methods minus addons from the *basic* set which are already
+    installed) [#]_ so an overloader can simply manipulate the ``set``
+    returned by ``res_config_installer.modules_to_install`` to add or
+    remove addons.
+
+    Skipping the installer
+    ----------------------
+
+    Unless it is removed from the view, installers have a *skip*
+    button which invokes ``action_skip`` (and the ``cancel`` hook from
+    ``res.config``). Hooks and additionals *are not run* when skipping
+    installation, even for already installed addons.
+
+    Again, setup your hooks accordinly.
+
+    .. [#] note that since a mapping key needs to be hashable, it's
+           possible to use a tuple or a frozenset, but not a list or a
+           regular set
+
+    .. [#] because the already-installed modules are only pruned at
+           the very end of ``modules_to_install``, additionals and
+           hooks depending on them *are guaranteed to execute*. Setup
+           your hooks accordingly.
+    """
     _name = 'res.config.installer'
     _inherit = 'res.config'
 
@@ -140,7 +228,7 @@ class res_config_installer(osv.osv_memory):
             context=context)
 
 
-    def _modules_to_install(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
+    def modules_to_install(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
         """ selects all modules to install:
 
         * checked boolean fields
@@ -210,7 +298,7 @@ class res_config_installer(osv.osv_memory):
 
     def execute(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
         modules = self.pool.get('ir.module.module')
-        to_install = list(self._modules_to_install(
+        to_install = list(self.modules_to_install(
             cr, uid, ids, context=context))
         self.logger.notifyChannel(
             'installer', netsvc.LOG_INFO,