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tkbroadcast version 2.1
-----------------------
Ethan Gold (etgold@cs.vassar.edu), March 1997
http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~etgold/

	(version 1.0 Jan-May 1996, unreleased - be glad)
	(disclaimer follows)

Tkbroadcast is an Xwindows based messaging utility designed
	to provide the funtionality of broadcast on the Apple
	Macintosh. While appletalk broadcast is available for
	Unix, it isn't as slick as theMac version, and it
	requires appletalk. If you are mainly interested in
	messaging between unix workstations, then tkbroadcast
	is for you! Written entirely in standard tcl/tk,
	tkbroadcast should be highly portable - EVEN to the
	Mac and Windows, and since it uses IP instead of a
	proprietary LAN protocal, it should also work across
	the internet.

	NOTE: a major overhaul was done for 2.0. Please read
	the changes section towards the end of this document if
	you are upgrading from an earlier version.

	
	REQUIREMENTS:
	* tcl/tk versions 7.5 and 4.1 or greater

	RECOMMENDATIONS:	
	* GNU date since I rewrote version 2.0 under Linux

	INSTRUCTIONS:
	Edit the top of the script to point to the copy
	of wish on your system.
	Copy the tkbroadcast scripts into a directory in
	your PATH. I recommend the following link command:
		ln -s tkbroadcastc.tcl tkbc
	Create a .tkbcrc file in your HOME directory and
	follow the sample .tkbcrc file format. The only
	requirements are the port number and your name.
	Actually you might now be able to create this initial
	file entirely from within tkbc.
	Receipient addresses will be added from within the tkbc
	interface.

	Start tkbc. You will only receive messages when tkbc is
	running! This is a change from earlier versions which
	used a seperate daemon process to handle incoming messages.
	The text entry box in tkbc lets you spcify a machine
	and port directly instead of having to read it out
	of your .tkbcrc file.
	Make an entry for yourself and try sending yourself
	a message by selecting your name and clicking "send"
	or by double-clicking your name in the listbox.
	All the information stored in the resource file
	~/.tkbcrc SHOULD be manageable from the GUI.
	
	I recommend running tkbc from your .xinitrc file or whatever
	file you use to set up your X clients. Use the -iconic command
	line option to start tkbc iconified to avoid clutter.

	The include pixmap tkbroadcast.xpm is the original icon for
	Macintosh Broadcast by Joachim Lindenberg. I use add and entry
	for tkbc in my window manager resource file that uses this icon.
	
	BUGS:
	* Send-to-all doesn't work quite right and is not
	really documented
	* As yet undiscovered new "features" that may have appeared
	  in the overhaul
	* Changing Own Info does not release the old port - instead
	  tkbc will listen on BOTH ports.

	FEATURES:
	* Files can be inserted into outgoing messages
	* Keypad Enter in the message box will send an outgoing
	 message just like in the Mac version.
	* Excepting firewalls and other obstacles, tkbroadcast
	 should work across the internet.
	* On the fly address and personal info management
	* Incoming messages can be saved
	* Multiple compose windows

	FUTURE:
	* magic cookie based "receiver off" function like
	  appletalk broadcast - keeps out all messages not
	  from conversations initiated by you
	* File browser for "insert file" on outgoing messages
	  and file browser and save funtion for incoming
	  messages
	* Personalized Icons?
	* implement multiple receipient sending fully (in the works)

	CHANGES:
		since 2.0:
	* added -iconic command line option to start iconified
	* added -version command line option
	* squashed changing Own Info bug, but there's another
	* squashed geometryless incoming and outgoing windows bug

		since 1.8:
	* A major overhaul was done for 2.0. From the user's
	perspective things are mostly the same, but internally
	everything's been mushed around. The 4 different scripts
	from version 1.X have been merged into one big script which
	maintains everything. The advantages to this approach are
	MUCH smaller memory footprint, greater likelyhood of cross-
	platform compatibility (ever try to "exec" on a mac?) faster
	operation, easier to manager source (I think) and the
	removal of the problem of interprocess communication, a possibility
	of a "send to all" function (as requested, but not yet working)
	and a sure fire way to make sure tkbc quits when X exits.
	This last item opens up the possibility for a tkbc metaserver
	which you can register yourself with which can then be queried
	by other users. This is something for 3.0.
	* The main tkbc interface now MUST BE RUNNING for you to receive
	  messages since the "server" code is now merged into everything
	  else. This is not to pretty from a user perspective, but it makes
	  my end much simpler. Sorry, folks, you'll have to start tkbc
	  from your .xinitrc files.
	* Multiple database files - this was initially done to make it
	  easy to test the "send to all" code, but was left in 'caue it's
	  cool.
	* Beginnings of "send to all"	
	* Incoming messages now display the time and date
	* Later incoming messages should start appearing back
	  on screen earlier (around 600y pixels instead of 7600.. oops)

		since 1.7:
	*Fixed absolute name resolution by parsing /etc/resolv.conf
	 for the domain name.
	*Added an undocumented (ha!) feature that will play a sound
	 for incoming messages that can be toggled with the line:
	   sound on
	 in the .tkbcrc file. there is currently no widget to supply
	 this information, hence its "undocumented" status.
	*Fixed initial focus for outgoing messages
	*Turned on word wrap in the text widgets

		since 1.6:
	*Added save options to incoming messages
	*better key bindings in filename entry widgets
	*a little more immune to quitting on an error (little)

		since 1.5:
	*fixed "dummy" entry
	*fixed required extra blank line in .rc file
	*added tilde expansion in the "insert file"
	 entry box.
	*improved some keyboard bindings
	*reread now properly rereads the resource file
	*Added "add new" so new addresses can be added
	 without having to edit the file
	*address deletion and personal info management
	 from within tkbc. you shouldn't even have to
	 touch the rc file.

	CONTACT INFO:
	Please direct any problems, questions, suggestions to
	etgold@cs.vassar.edu (that's me) and I'll get back
	to you. I'd love to find out who's using my software,
	so if you decide to keep it, drop me a line.


	ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
	Thanks to Joachim Lindenberg for Appletalk Broadcast
	and John Ousterhout for tcl/tk and David Chappell for
	his suggestions


DISCLAIMER:
-----------
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ENTIRELY WITHOUT WARRANTY, EXPLICIT
OR IMPLIED! I'M AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST DATA, MISUSED/ABUSED NETWORK
RESOURCES, WASTES OF TIME/MONEY/PRODUCTIVITY.
DISTRIBUTE THIS SOFTWARE UNDER THE TERMS OF THE GNU PUBLIC LICENSE.
THE SUITABILITY OF THIS PRODUCT FOR ANY PURPOSE IS NOT GUARANTEED.