diff --git a/1988/spinellis/Makefile b/1988/spinellis/Makefile
index f572e9f34..27a2c1bed 100644
--- a/1988/spinellis/Makefile
+++ b/1988/spinellis/Makefile
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ ENTRY= spinellis
 PROG= ${ENTRY}
 #
 OBJ= ${PROG}.o
-DATA= spinellis.data
+DATA= spinellis.data input.txt input2.txt
 TARGET= ${PROG}
 #
 ALT_OBJ= ${PROG}.alt.o
@@ -126,19 +126,22 @@ all: data ${TARGET}
 	love haste waste maker easter_egg sandwich \
 	supernova deep_magic magic charon pluto
 
-${PROG}: ${PROG}.c
+${PROG}: ${PROG}.c input.txt
 	@echo "NOTE: this entry will not compile with some compilers like clang."
 	@echo "NOTE: use make alt for clang."
-	${CC} ${CFLAGS} $< -o $@ ${LIBS}
+	@echo Now run the following command:
+	${RM} -f $@
+	@echo ${CC} ${CFLAGS} $< -o $@ ${LIBS} '<' input.txt '&&' ./${PROG}
 
 # alternative executable
 #
 alt: data ${ALT_TARGET}
 	@${TRUE}
 
-${PROG}.alt: ${PROG}.alt.c
+${PROG}.alt: ${PROG}.alt.c input.txt
 	${CC} ${CFLAGS} -Wno-implicit-function-declaration $< -o $@ ${LIBS}
-	@while read -r r; do echo $$r ; done | ./${PROG}.alt
+	@echo Now run the following command:
+	@echo ./${PROG}.alt '<' input.txt '&&' ./${PROG}.alt
 
 # data files
 #
diff --git a/1988/spinellis/README.md b/1988/spinellis/README.md
index 7d3fcb496..d92fefa1f 100644
--- a/1988/spinellis/README.md
+++ b/1988/spinellis/README.md
@@ -11,52 +11,31 @@ Mastodon: <https://mstdn.social/@DSpinellis>
 make all
 ```
 
-and then type a C program into followed by EOF (usually `^D`, ctrl-d).
-
-An alternate version (also one-line) that will work with clang has been
-provided. See the Alternate code section below for how to use.
-
 ## Try:
 
 ```sh
-make clobber all
-main()
-{
-    printf("Hello world\n");
-}
-^D
-./spinellis
-
-make clobber all
-int main()
-{
-    int i;
-    for (i = 0; i < 5; ++i)
-	printf("%d\n", i);
-}
-^D
-./spinellis
+rm -f spinellis ; cc spinellis.c -o spinellis < input.txt && ./spinellis
 ```
 
-NOTE: you need to make clobber first for this entry to work right.
+and try:
+
+```
+rm -f spinellis ; cc spinellis.c -o spinellis < input2.txt && ./spinellis
+```
 
 ## Alternate code:
 
 For clang try the alt code like:
 
 ```sh
-make clobber alt
-#include <stdio.h>
-main()
-{
-    puts("Hello world\n");
-}
-^D
-./spinellis
-
+cc spinellis.alt.c -o spinellis.alt < input.txt && ./spinellis.alt
 ```
 
-NOTE: you need to make clobber first for this entry to work right.
+and try:
+
+```
+cc spinellis.alt.c -o spinellis.alt < input2.txt && ./spinellis.alt
+```
 
 ## Judges' remarks:
 
diff --git a/1988/spinellis/input.txt b/1988/spinellis/input.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..650dc9b5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/1988/spinellis/input.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int
+main(void)
+{
+    printf("Hello, world!\n");
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/1988/spinellis/input2.txt b/1988/spinellis/input2.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8691ddffb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/1988/spinellis/input2.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int
+main(void)
+{
+    int i;
+    for (i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
+	printf("%d\n", i);
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/1988/spinellis/spinellis.alt.c b/1988/spinellis/spinellis.alt.c
index 2795d4a89..79f6e7633 100644
--- a/1988/spinellis/spinellis.alt.c
+++ b/1988/spinellis/spinellis.alt.c
@@ -1 +1 @@
-main(){system("gcc -x c - -o spinellis");}
+int main(void){system("rm -f spinellis.alt; cc -x c - -o spinellis.alt");return 0;}