diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/dataSources/shards/ReadShardStrategy.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/dataSources/shards/ReadShardStrategy.java
new file mode 100755
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+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/dataSources/shards/ReadShardStrategy.java
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+package org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.dataSources.shards;
+
+import net.sf.samtools.SAMSequenceDictionary;
+
+import java.util.Iterator;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * User: aaron
+ * Date: Apr 14, 2009
+ * Time: 1:34:28 PM
+ *
+ * The Broad Institute
+ * SOFTWARE COPYRIGHT NOTICE AGREEMENT 
+ * This software and its documentation are copyright 2009 by the
+ * Broad Institute/Massachusetts Institute of Technology. All rights are reserved.
+ *
+ * This software is supplied without any warranty or guaranteed support whatsoever. Neither
+ * the Broad Institute nor MIT can be responsible for its use, misuse, or functionality.
+ *
+ */
+
+
+/**
+ * @author aaron
+ * @version 1.0
+ * @date Apr 14, 2009
+ * <p/>
+ * Class ReadShardStrategy
+ * <p/>
+ * A descriptions should go here. Blame aaron if it's missing.
+ */
+public class ReadShardStrategy implements ShardStrategy {
+
+    // do we use unmapped reads in the sharding strategy
+    private boolean unMappedReads = true;
+
+    // our read bucket size, default
+    public long readCount = 100000;
+
+    // our sequence dictionary
+    final private SAMSequenceDictionary dic;
+
+    /**
+     * the default constructor
+     * @param dic the dictionary
+     * @param size the read count to iterate over
+     */
+    ReadShardStrategy(SAMSequenceDictionary dic, long size) {
+        this.dic = dic;
+        readCount = size;    
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * do we have another read shard?
+     * @return
+     */
+    public boolean hasNext() {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    public Shard next() {
+        return null;  //To change body of implemented methods use File | Settings | File Templates.
+    }
+
+    public void remove() {
+        throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Remove not supported");
+    }
+
+    public Iterator<Shard> iterator() {
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * set the next shards size
+     *
+     * @param size adjust the next size to this
+     */
+    public void adjustNextShardSize(long size) {
+        readCount = size;
+    }
+}