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tkbroadcast version 3.1
-----------------------
Ethan Gold (etgold@cs.vassar.edu), July 1997
(Ethan or Clavius at the sitcom.vassar.edu:5500 metaserver)
http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~etgold/tkbc.html

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

	WARNING! 
	This version is VERY beta. It might not
	work. If it does, however, you can still send messages to and
	receive messages from the older versions (2.1 recommended) though
	2.1 users won't show up in the metaserver list.
	READ the changes section at the bottom carefully and understand
	how the new code ought to work (from the user end) before emailing me.
	

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 (NT?), and since it uses IP instead of a
	proprietary LAN protocal, it should works across
	the internet.

	NOTE: a major overhaul was done for 2.0 AND 3.0. Please read
	the changes section towards the end of this document if
	you are upgrading from an earlier version.

	
	REQUIREMENTS:
	* tcl/tk versions greater than 7.5 and 4.1 which has
	  the new file handling commands
	
	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 tkbroadcast.tcl tkbc
	Create a .tkbcrc file in your HOME directory and
	follow the sample .tkbcrc file format.
	All of the fields in the sample file are required.
	Note that the "record" fields are no longer used.
	Actually you might now be able to create this initial
	file entirely from within tkbc.

	 if you're going to run the METASERVER
	Hopefully you know of a metaserver that is already running
	that you would like to be registered on. Config that metaserver
	into your .tkbcrc file. If you would like to run a metaserver
	you need to pick an unused port to run the metaserver on. Pick
	something that people won't try to use for anything else (such
	as tkbc clients). Follow the sample metaconfig.sample file.
	The metaserver looks for it's config in your home directory
	in a file called .tkbcmsrc unless you specify another file as the
	first argument on the command line. Run the metaserver in the
	background and then config your client to point to it (if you
	want). Publish your site.
	
	Start tkbc. You will only receive messages when tkbc is
	running! This is a change from early 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 from the metaserver.
	Try sending a message to yourself 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 unless you are on the
	slow side of a dialup connection.  Use the -iconic command
	line option to start tkbc iconified to avoid desktop clutter.

	The included pixmap tkbroadcast.xpm is the original icon for
	Macintosh Broadcast by Joachim Lindenberg. I use an entry
	for tkbc in my window manager resource file that uses this icon.
	
	BUGS:
	* Not even worth trying to catalogue. Tons of error handling
	  is needed.
	* Try underlines instead of spaces in usernames until the
	  protocol between the metaserver and client can handle them.

	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 unfortunate obstacles, tkbroadcast
	  should work across the internet.
	* On the fly address and personal info management
	* Incoming messages can be saved
	* Multiple compose windows
	* Automatically updating userlist

	FUTURE:
	* menu to select multiple meta servers (soon)
	* metaserver metaserver?
	* Browing other "zones" without changing the metaserver you're
	  currently registered with. (soon)
	* File browser for "insert file" on outgoing messages
	  and file browser and save funtion for incoming
	  messages
	* Personalized Icons?
	* Send to All has be moved off the work queue. With the advent
	  of the metaserver too much potential for spam exits.
	* Error log file for the metaserver
	* Rewrite this README which still smacks of version 1.8
	
	CHANGES:
	
		since 3.1:
	* removed GNU date dependancy
	* removed all exec calls except getting hostname sound calls
	  for portability
	* added receiver option and polling flag
	* added multiple error handling
	* beefed up error handling around socket and file calls
	* preliminary internals for multiple metaservers (3.2?)
	
		since 2.1:
	* implemented the metaserver which keeps a running tab of people
	  "registered" using tkbc. The Metaserver ages entries.
	* The main gui no longer maintains it's own user list. The user list
	  is now read from the configured metaserver.
	* Send to All has been removed (never worked anyway)
	* Deleting entries is no longer applicable.
	
		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, David Chappell for
	his suggestions, and all the patient Vassar computer
	science majors.


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.