/*
 * GNU.FREE 2001
 *
 * Copyright (c) 1999, 2000, 2001 The Free Software Foundation (www.fsf.org)
 *
 * GNU.FREE Co-ordinator: Jason Kitcat <jeep@thecouch.org>
 *
 * GNU site: http://www.gnu.org/software/gnu.free/gnufree.html
 * 
 * FREE e-democracy site: http://www.thecouch.org/free/
 *
 * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
 * as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
 * of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
 *
 * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 * GNU General Public License for more details.
 * 
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 * along with this program (gpl.txt); if not, write to the Free Software
 * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 *
 */

README

=========================
- Welcome to GNU.FREE 1.5
=========================

This file points you to all the important ones, tells you what you should have
in this download and other exciting stuff!


======================
- About the project
======================

GNU.FREE is part of the FREE e-democracy project. It is a Free Software project which
creates Java electronic voting software released under the General Public License.

With this voting software we aim to:-

+ Provide a secure and private system
+ Create scalable and reliable software
+ Off a non-commercial, non-partisan voting alternative
+ Use the GPL to create an open system that Internet users will trust
+ Release a system that can be used to support the growth of effective
  democracy anywhere in the world
  
Additionally, in support of our wider development community, the project aims to:-

+ Advocate the free software paradigm
+ Evangalise the use of technology to strengthen technology within a holistic understanding
  of the current malaise i.e. Internet voting alone isn't going to solve turnout problems.
  
If would like to support us and get involved or donate money/time/software/hardware for
lots of good karma then please visit our website at http://www.thecouch.org/free/

GNU.FREE is an official GNU package. This means our software is part of the Free Software
Foundation's GNU project. More information on the FSF and GNU is at http://www.gnu.org

The official GNU.FREE page is at: http://www.gnu.org/software/gnu.free/gnufree.html

We are also one of two offical electronic voting projects of FreeDevelopers.net see
http://209.249.55.157/edemoc/ for more on that.


======================
- About the software
======================

GNU.FREE is a package of several pieces of software that provide the servers, databases
and a client for secure and private electronic voting via Internet infrastructure. However 
it does not rely on digital certificates or webs of trust. (Yet!)

We hope this will keep it free (in every way) so that people can afford to use electronic
voting without worrying about cost.

There is much more information on the website or the Docs directory.

======================
- What you should have
======================

The directory structure of this package is

FREE-1.5
|
|-Free
  +AWT
  +DBPool
  +util
|-FreeClient
|-ERServer
|-FreeTest
|-Docs
|....

There may be some ancillary directories for CodeWarrior support.

The key files in this package:

README			Your initial guide to the system
COPYING			The license for this software
NEWS			User visible changes (the user being the election implementor)
INSTALL			How to install GNU.FREE
ChangeLog		All source changes
AUTHORS			Everyone who has helped the project
JNLP-INSTALL	Instructions on how to set up delivery of the voting client through browsers


Remember that this is all source code and that you need to do some minor coding before 
GNU.FREE can be used!!!! (So don't go looking for binaries) See INSTALL for more info.

[If you aren't going to use Metrowerks CodeWarrior then you can remove the Free Data,
FreeInstall Data and FreeTest Data directories as well as *.mcp]


======================
- Documentation
======================

It's all in HTML format in the Docs directory. The very latest version can always be found
at the website. The docs also include a complete Getting Started guide, a brief tour
of all the classes, some pointers on running elections/referenda as well as full
JavaDoc documentation for the code. That should cover pretty much all your needs,
if not get in touch!

======================
- Latest Changes
======================

As of version 1.2.1 we follow GNU release guidelines:

User-visible changes are in the NEWS file.
All changes to the source are in the ChangeLog file.

======================
- Known Bugs in 1.5
======================

+ HSQL database can incorrectly throw an "Invalid file version" exception after an
  incorrect piece of SQL has been used. The error can be ignored.

======================
- Legal
======================

Just to reiterate the blurb in the headers, there is no warranty or guarantee of any kind
for this software. I will try to help you out with any problems you may encounter, but I
won't accept any responsibility for anything that goes wrong - you're on your own there.

Please note that the Free Software Foundation, Inc. holds the copyright to this software
and is committed to defending the terms of the General Public License as they apply to
all code that constitues GNU.FREE - don't mess!

The Hypersonic SQL license means that we must include the following, which applies only
to the files in hsql.jar:

Copyright (c) 1995-2000 by the Hypersonic SQL Group. All rights reserved. 

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification,
are permitted provided that the following conditions are met: 

+ Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
this list of conditions and the following disclaimer. 
+ Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other
materials provided with the distribution. 
+ All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software must display
the following acknowledgment: "This product includes Hypersonic SQL." 
+ Products derived from this software may not be called "Hypersonic SQL" nor may
"Hypersonic SQL" appear in their names without prior written permission of the
Hypersonic SQL Group. 
+ Redistributions of any form whatsoever must retain the following acknowledgment:
"This product includes Hypersonic SQL." 

This software is provided "as is" and any expressed or implied warranties, including,
but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular
purpose are disclaimed. In no event shall the Hypersonic SQL Group or its contributors be
liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages
(including, but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods or services; loss of use,
data, or profits; or business interruption). However caused any on any theory of liability,
whether in contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising
in any way out of the use of this software, even if advised of the possibility of such
damage. 

This software consists of voluntary contributions made by many individuals on behalf of
the Hypersonic SQL Group. 


======================
- GNU.FREE?
======================

GNU: GNU's not UNIX!

FREE: Free Referenda and Elections Electronically
See the website for a potted history.

http://www.thecouch.org/free/

EOF README