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Diffstat (limited to 'etc/DISTRIB')
| -rw-r--r-- | etc/DISTRIB | 111 |
1 files changed, 111 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/etc/DISTRIB b/etc/DISTRIB new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..f9d17b40951 --- /dev/null +++ b/etc/DISTRIB @@ -0,0 +1,111 @@ + -*- text -*- +For an order form for all Emacs and FSF distributions deliverable from +the USA, see the file `ORDERS' in this directory (etc/ in the GNU +Emacs distribution or /pub/gnu/GNUinfo on ftp.gnu.org). For a +European order form, see `ORDERS.EUROPE'. For a Japan order form, +see `ORDERS.JAPAN'. + + GNU Emacs availability information, April 1998 +Copyright (C) 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998 + Free Software Foundation, Inc. + + Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute + verbatim copies of this document provided that the + copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved. + +GNU Emacs is legally owned by the Free Software Foundation, but we +regard the foundation more as its custodian on behalf of the public. + +In the GNU project, when we speak of "free software", this refers to +liberty, not price. Specifically, it refers to the users' freedom to +study, copy, change and improve the software. Sometimes users pay +money for copies of GNU software, and sometimes they get copies at no +charge. But regardless of how they got the software, or whether it +was modified by anyone else along the way, they have the freedom to +copy and change it--those freedoms are what "free software" means. + +The precise conditions for copying and modification are stated in the +document "GNU General Public License," a copy of which is required to +be distributed with every copy of GNU Emacs. It is usually in a file +named `COPYING' in the same directory as this file. These conditions +are designed to make sure that everyone who has a copy of GNU Emacs +(including modified versions) has the freedom to redistribute and +change it. + +If you do not know anyone to get a copy of GNU Emacs from, you can +order a cd-rom from the Free Software Foundation. We distribute Emacs +versions 19 and 20. We also distribute nicely typeset copies of the +Emacs user manual, Emacs Lisp Reference Manual, the Emacs reference +card, etc. See file `ORDERS'. + +If you have Internet access, you can copy the latest Emacs +distribution from hosts, such as ftp.gnu.org. There are several +ways to do this; see the file `FTP' for more information. Even +better, get the latest version of the file from `/pub/gnu/GNUinfo/FTP' +on ftp.gnu.org for the most current arrangements. It may also be +possible to copy Emacs via uucp; the file `FTP' contains information +on that too. + +Emacs has been run on both Berkeley Unix and System V Unix, on a +variety of types of cpu. It also works on VMS and on Apollo +computers, though with some deficiencies that reflect problems in +these operating systems. See the file `MACHINES' in this directory +(see above) for a full list of machines that GNU Emacs has been tested +on, with machine-specific installation notes and warnings. There is +also Demacs that works on newer MS-DOS machines (see file `ORDERS'). + +Note that there is significant variation between Unix systems +supposedly running the same version of Unix; it is possible that what +works in GNU Emacs for me does not work on your system due to such an +incompatibility. Since I must avoid reading Unix source code, I +cannot even guess what such problems may exist. + +GNU Emacs is distributed with no warranty (see the General Public +License for full details, in the file `COPYING' in this directory (see +above)), and neither I nor the Free Software Foundation promises any +kind of support or assistance to users. The foundation keeps a list +of people who are willing to offer support and assistance for hire. +See the file `SERVICE'. You can get the latest version from +ftp.gnu.org in file `/pub/gnu/GNUinfo/SERVICE'. + +However, we plan to continue to improve GNU Emacs and keep it +reliable, so please send me any complaints and suggestions you have. +I will probably fix anything that I consider a malfunction. I may +make improvements that are suggested, but I may choose not to. +Improving Emacs is not my highest priority now. + +If you are on the Internet, report bugs to bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org. +Otherwise, phone or write the Foundation at: + + Free Software Foundation + 59 Temple Place - Suite 330 + Boston, MA 02111-1307 + Voice: +1-617-542-5942 + Fax: +1-617-542-2652 + +General questions about the GNU Project can be asked of +gnu@gnu.org. + +If you are a computer manufacturer, I encourage you to ship a copy of +GNU Emacs with every computer you deliver. The same copying +permission terms apply to computer manufacturers as to everyone else. +You should consider making a donation to help support the GNU project; +if you estimate what it would cost to distribute some commercial +product and divide it by five, that is a good amount. + +If you like GNU Emacs, please express your satisfaction with a +donation: send me or the Foundation what you feel Emacs has been worth +to you. If you are glad that I developed GNU Emacs and distribute it +as freeware, rather than following the obstructive and antisocial +practices typical of software developers, reward me. If you would +like the Foundation to develop more free software, contribute. + +Your donations will help to support the development of additional GNU +software. GNU/Linux systems (variants of GNU, based on the kernel +Linux) have millions of users, but there is still much to be done. +For more information on GNU, see the file `GNU' in this directory (see +above). + + Richard M Stallman + Chief GNUisance, + President of the Free Software Foundation |