diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..58b3eebe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+environment:
+
+  matrix:
+
+    # For Python versions available on Appveyor, see
+    # http://www.appveyor.com/docs/installed-software#python
+
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python27"
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python33"
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python34"
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python35"
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python36"
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python27-x64"
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python33-x64"
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python34-x64"
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python35-x64"
+    - PYTHON: "C:\\Python36-x64"
+
+install:
+  # We need our usual libraries
+  - "%PYTHON%\\python.exe -m pip install -r requirements.txt"
+  # We need to install the python-can library itself
+  - "%PYTHON%\\python.exe -m pip install ."
+
+build: off
+
+test_script:
+  # Note that you must use the environment variable %PYTHON% to refer to
+  # the interpreter you're using - Appveyor does not do anything special
+  # to put the Python version you want to use on PATH.
+  - "%PYTHON%\\python.exe setup.py test"
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 8002997eb..a61ae9e6e 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -1,19 +1,23 @@
 python-can
 ==========
 
-|release| |docs| |build|
+|release| |docs| |build_travis| |build_appveyor|
 
 .. |release| image:: https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/python-can.svg
    :target: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/python-can/
-   :alt: Latest Version
+   :alt: Latest Version on PyPi
 
 .. |docs| image:: https://readthedocs.org/projects/python-can/badge/?version=stable
    :target: https://python-can.readthedocs.io/en/stable/
-   :alt: Documentation Status
+   :alt: Documentation build Status
                 
-.. |build| image:: https://travis-ci.org/hardbyte/python-can.svg?branch=develop
+.. |build_travis| image:: https://travis-ci.org/hardbyte/python-can.svg?branch=develop
    :target: https://travis-ci.org/hardbyte/python-can/branches
-   :alt: CI Server for develop branch
+   :alt: Travis CI Server for develop branch
+
+.. |build_appveyor| image:: https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/status/github/hardbyte/python-can?branch=develop&svg=true
+   :target: https://ci.appveyor.com/project/hardbyte/python-can/history
+   :alt: AppVeyor CI Server for develop branch
 
 
 The **C**\ ontroller **A**\ rea **N**\ etwork is a bus standard designed
diff --git a/can/io/sqlite.py b/can/io/sqlite.py
index 454a09f2a..56ff61b41 100644
--- a/can/io/sqlite.py
+++ b/can/io/sqlite.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 import logging
 import sqlite3
 
+from deprecated import deprecated
+
 from can.listener import BufferedReader
 from can.message import Message
 
@@ -22,7 +24,8 @@
     buffer = memoryview
 
 
-class SqliteReader:
+@deprecated(reason="Use the name SqliteReader instead. (Replaced in v2.1)")
+class SqlReader:
     """
     Reads recorded CAN messages from a simple SQL database.
 
@@ -49,7 +52,7 @@ def _create_frame_from_db_tuple(frame_data):
     def __iter__(self):
         log.debug("Iterating through messages from sql db")
         for frame_data in self.cursor.execute(self._SELECT_ALL_COMMAND):
-            yield SqliteReader._create_frame_from_db_tuple(frame_data)
+            yield self._create_frame_from_db_tuple(frame_data)
 
     def __len__(self):
         # this might not run in constant time
@@ -65,10 +68,8 @@ def close(self):
         """Closes the connection to the database."""
         self.conn.close()
 
-
-# Backward compatibility
-# TODO remove in later releases?
-SqlReader = SqliteReader
+# SqliteReader is the newer name
+SqliteReader = SqlReader
 
 
 class SqliteWriter(BufferedReader):
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index f6c1a1f57..2765eba2c 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-pyserial
+pyserial >= 3.0
+Deprecated >= 1.1.0
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 339daa2e3..c358e85bb 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -19,24 +19,44 @@
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.WARNING)
 
 setup(
+
+    # Description
     name="python-can",
     url="https://github.com/hardbyte/python-can",
+    description="Controller Area Network interface module for Python",
+    long_description=long_description,
+
+    # Code
     version=version,
     packages=find_packages(),
+    
+    # Author
     author="Brian Thorne",
     author_email="brian@thorne.link",
-    description="Controller Area Network interface module for Python",
-    long_description=long_description,
+
+    # License
     license="LGPL v3",
+
+    # Package data
     package_data={
         "": ["CONTRIBUTORS.txt", "LICENSE.txt"],
         "doc": ["*.*"]
     },
-    # Tests can be run using `python setup.py test`
-    test_suite="nose.collector",
-    tests_require=['mock', 'nose', 'pyserial'],
+
+    # Installation
+    install_requires=[
+        'Deprecated >= 1.1.0',
+    ],
     extras_require={
-        'serial': ['pyserial'],
+        'serial': ['pyserial >= 3.0'],
         'neovi': ['python-ics'],
-    }
+    },
+
+    # Testing
+    test_suite="nose.collector",
+    tests_require=[
+        'mock',
+        'nose',
+        'pyserial >= 3.0'
+    ],
 )
diff --git a/test/__init__.py b/test/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..394a0a067
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# coding: utf-8
diff --git a/test/back2back_test.py b/test/back2back_test.py
index 85c4c2e4a..2b2f70198 100644
--- a/test/back2back_test.py
+++ b/test/back2back_test.py
@@ -3,22 +3,19 @@
 
 """
 This module tests two virtual busses attached to each other.
-
-Some tests are skipped when run on Travis CI because they are not
-reproducible, see #243 (https://github.com/hardbyte/python-can/issues/243).
 """
 
-import os
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import unittest
 import time
 
 import can
 
-IS_TRAVIS = os.environ.get('TRAVIS', 'default') == 'true'
+from .config import *
 
 BITRATE = 500000
 TIMEOUT = 0.1
-TEST_CAN_FD = True
 
 INTERFACE_1 = 'virtual'
 CHANNEL_1 = 'vcan0'
@@ -79,7 +76,7 @@ def _send_and_receive(self, msg):
     def test_no_message(self):
         self.assertIsNone(self.bus1.recv(0.1))
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(IS_TRAVIS, "skip on Travis CI")
+    @unittest.skipIf(IS_CI, "the timing sensitive behaviour cannot be reproduced reliably on a CI server")
     def test_timestamp(self):
         self.bus2.send(can.Message())
         recv_msg1 = self.bus1.recv(TIMEOUT)
diff --git a/test/config.py b/test/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a25aff627
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# coding: utf-8
+
+"""
+This module contains some configuration for the tests.
+
+Some tests are skipped when run on a CI server because they are not
+reproducible, see #243 (https://github.com/hardbyte/python-can/issues/243).
+"""
+
+from os import environ as environment
+
+# see here for the environment variables that are set on the CI servers:
+#   - https://docs.travis-ci.com/user/environment-variables/
+#   - https://www.appveyor.com/docs/environment-variables/
+
+IS_TRAVIS = environment.get('TRAVIS', '').lower() == 'true'
+IS_APPVEYOR = environment.get('APPVEYOR', '').lower() == 'true'
+
+IS_CI = IS_TRAVIS or IS_APPVEYOR or \
+        environment.get('CI', '').lower() == 'true' or \
+        environment.get('CONTINUOUS_INTEGRATION', '').lower() == 'true'
+
+TEST_CAN_FD = True
diff --git a/test/listener_test.py b/test/listener_test.py
index 4f6d9baea..e9495c066 100755
--- a/test/listener_test.py
+++ b/test/listener_test.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 """
 """
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from time import sleep
 import unittest
 import random
@@ -14,7 +16,7 @@
 
 import can
 
-from data.example_data import generate_message
+from .data.example_data import generate_message
 
 channel = 'vcan0'
 can.rc['interface'] = 'virtual'
diff --git a/test/logformats_test.py b/test/logformats_test.py
index 019ea7147..728d997e3 100644
--- a/test/logformats_test.py
+++ b/test/logformats_test.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 """
 
 from __future__ import print_function
+from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 import unittest
 import tempfile
@@ -28,9 +29,9 @@
 
 import can
 
-from data.example_data import TEST_MESSAGES_BASE, TEST_MESSAGES_REMOTE_FRAMES, \
-                              TEST_MESSAGES_ERROR_FRAMES, TEST_COMMENTS, \
-                              generate_message
+from .data.example_data import TEST_MESSAGES_BASE, TEST_MESSAGES_REMOTE_FRAMES, \
+                               TEST_MESSAGES_ERROR_FRAMES, TEST_COMMENTS, \
+                               generate_message
 
 
 def _test_writer_and_reader(test_case, writer_constructor, reader_constructor, sleep_time=None,
diff --git a/test/simplecyclic_test.py b/test/simplecyclic_test.py
index 362e89c2c..f4ab7cab2 100644
--- a/test/simplecyclic_test.py
+++ b/test/simplecyclic_test.py
@@ -3,22 +3,20 @@
 
 """
 This module tests cyclic send tasks.
-
-Some tests are skipped when run on Travis CI because they are not
-reproducible, see #243 (https://github.com/hardbyte/python-can/issues/243).
 """
 
-import os
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 from time import sleep
 import unittest
 
 import can
 
-IS_TRAVIS = os.environ.get('TRAVIS', 'default') == 'true'
+from .config import *
 
 class SimpleCyclicSendTaskTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
-    @unittest.skipIf(IS_TRAVIS, "skip on Travis CI")
+    @unittest.skipIf(IS_CI, "the timing sensitive behaviour cannot be reproduced reliably on a CI server")
     def test_cycle_time(self):
         msg = can.Message(extended_id=False, arbitration_id=0x100, data=[0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7])
         bus1 = can.interface.Bus(bustype='virtual')