sl@0: README:  Tcl
sl@0:     This is the Tcl 8.4.15 source distribution.
sl@0:     Tcl/Tk is also available through NetCVS:
sl@0: 	http://tcl.sourceforge.net/
sl@0:     You can get any source release of Tcl from the file distributions
sl@0:     link at the above URL.
sl@0: 
sl@0: RCS: @(#) $Id: README,v 1.49.2.18 2006/10/23 17:53:23 dgp Exp $
sl@0: 
sl@0: Contents
sl@0: --------
sl@0:     1. Introduction
sl@0:     2. Documentation
sl@0:     3. Compiling and installing Tcl
sl@0:     4. Development tools
sl@0:     5. Tcl newsgroup
sl@0:     6. Tcl contributed archive
sl@0:     7. Tcl Resource Center
sl@0:     8. Mailing lists
sl@0:     9. Support and Training
sl@0:     10. Thank You
sl@0: 
sl@0: 1. Introduction
sl@0: ---------------
sl@0: Tcl provides a powerful platform for creating integration applications that
sl@0: tie together diverse applications, protocols, devices, and frameworks.
sl@0: When paired with the Tk toolkit, Tcl provides the fastest and most powerful
sl@0: way to create GUI applications that run on PCs, Unix, and the Macintosh.
sl@0: Tcl can also be used for a variety of web-related tasks and for creating
sl@0: powerful command languages for applications.
sl@0: 
sl@0: Tcl is maintained, enhanced, and distributed freely by the Tcl community.
sl@0: The home for Tcl/Tk sources and bug/patch database is on SourceForge:
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	http://tcl.sourceforge.net/
sl@0: 
sl@0: with the Tcl Developer Xchange hosted at:
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	http://www.tcl.tk/
sl@0: 
sl@0: Tcl is a freely available open source package.  You can do virtually
sl@0: anything you like with it, such as modifying it, redistributing it,
sl@0: and selling it either in whole or in part.  See the file
sl@0: "license.terms" for complete information.
sl@0: 
sl@0: 2. Documentation
sl@0: ----------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: Extensive documentation is available at our website.
sl@0: The home page for this release, including new features, is
sl@0: 	http://www.tcl.tk/software/tcltk/8.4.html
sl@0: 
sl@0: Detailed release notes can be found at the file distributions page
sl@0: by clicking on the relevant version.
sl@0: 	http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=10894
sl@0: 
sl@0: Information about Tcl itself can be found at
sl@0: 	http://www.tcl.tk/about/
sl@0: 
sl@0: There have been many Tcl books on the market.  Many are mentioned in the Wiki:
sl@0: 	http://wiki.tcl.tk/book
sl@0: 
sl@0: 2a. Unix Documentation
sl@0: ----------------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: The "doc" subdirectory in this release contains a complete set of
sl@0: reference manual entries for Tcl.  Files with extension ".1" are for
sl@0: programs (for example, tclsh.1); files with extension ".3" are for C
sl@0: library procedures; and files with extension ".n" describe Tcl
sl@0: commands.  The file "doc/Tcl.n" gives a quick summary of the Tcl
sl@0: language syntax.  To print any of the man pages on Unix, cd to the
sl@0: "doc" directory and invoke your favorite variant of troff using the
sl@0: normal -man macros, for example
sl@0: 
sl@0: 		ditroff -man Tcl.n
sl@0: 
sl@0: to print Tcl.n.  If Tcl has been installed correctly and your "man" program
sl@0: supports it, you should be able to access the Tcl manual entries using the
sl@0: normal "man" mechanisms, such as
sl@0: 
sl@0: 		man Tcl
sl@0: 
sl@0: 2b. Windows Documentation
sl@0: -------------------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: The "doc" subdirectory in this release contains a complete set of Windows
sl@0: help files for Tcl.  Once you install this Tcl release, a shortcut to the
sl@0: Windows help Tcl documentation will appear in the "Start" menu:
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	Start | Programs | Tcl | Tcl Help
sl@0: 
sl@0: 3. Compiling and installing Tcl
sl@0: -------------------------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: There are brief notes in the unix/README, win/README, and macosx/README about
sl@0: compiling on these different platforms.  There is additional information
sl@0: about building Tcl from sources at
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	http://www.tcl.tk/doc/howto/compile.html
sl@0: 
sl@0: 4. TclPro Development tools
sl@0: ---------------------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: A high quality set of commercial quality development tools is available to
sl@0: accelerate your Tcl application development.  The TclPro product provides a
sl@0: debugger, static code checker, packaging utility, and bytecode compiler.
sl@0: TclPro was open-sourced when Scriptics/Ajuba was acquired by Interwoven.
sl@0: Visit its home at SourceForge for more information and source/binaries:
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	http://tclpro.sourceforge.net/
sl@0: 
sl@0: ActiveState has picked up support for commercial Tcl development tools.
sl@0: More information can be found at
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	http://www.ActiveState.com/Tcl
sl@0: 
sl@0: 5. Tcl newsgroup
sl@0: ----------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: There is a USENET news group, "comp.lang.tcl", intended for the exchange of
sl@0: information about Tcl, Tk, and related applications.  The newsgroup is a
sl@0: great place to ask general information questions.  There is also
sl@0: a USENET news group, "comp.lang.tcl.announce", intended to announce new
sl@0: releases of software, training, and more.  For bug reports, please
sl@0: see the "Support and bug fixes" section below.
sl@0: 
sl@0: 6. Tcl contributed archive
sl@0: --------------------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: Many people have created exciting packages and applications based on Tcl
sl@0: and/or Tk and made them freely available to the Tcl community.  An archive
sl@0: of these contributions is kept on the machine ftp://archives.tcl.tk/pub/tcl
sl@0: (aka ftp://ftp.procplace.com/pub/tcl).  You can access the archive using
sl@0: anonymous FTP.  The archive also contains several FAQ ("frequently asked
sl@0: questions") documents that provide solutions to problems that are commonly
sl@0: encountered by Tcl newcomers.
sl@0: 
sl@0: 7. The Tcler's Wiki
sl@0: -------------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: A Wiki-based open community site covering all aspects of Tcl/Tk is at:
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	http://wiki.tcl.tk/
sl@0: 
sl@0: A wealth of useful information can be found there.
sl@0: 
sl@0: 8. Mailing lists
sl@0: ----------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: Several mailing lists are hosted at SourceForge to discuss development or
sl@0: use issues (like Macintosh and Windows topics).  For more information and
sl@0: to subscribe, visit:
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	http://sourceforge.net/projects/tcl/
sl@0: 
sl@0: and go to the Mailing Lists page.
sl@0: 
sl@0: 9. Support and Training
sl@0: ------------------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: We are very interested in receiving bug reports, patches, and suggestions
sl@0: for improvements.  We prefer that you send this information to us via the
sl@0: bug form at SourceForge, rather than emailing us directly.  The bug
sl@0: database is at:
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	http://tcl.sourceforge.net/
sl@0: 
sl@0: The bug form was designed to give uniform structure to bug reports as
sl@0: well as to solicit enough information to minimize followup questions.
sl@0: 
sl@0: We will log and follow-up on each bug, although we cannot promise a
sl@0: specific turn-around time.  Enhancements, reported via the Feature
sl@0: Requests form at the same web site, may take longer and may not happen
sl@0: at all unless there is widespread support for them (we're trying to
sl@0: slow the rate at which Tcl/Tk turns into a kitchen sink).  It's very
sl@0: difficult to make incompatible changes to Tcl/Tk at this point, due to
sl@0: the size of the installed base.
sl@0: 
sl@0: The Tcl community is too large for us to provide much individual support
sl@0: for users.  If you need help we suggest that you post questions to
sl@0: comp.lang.tcl.  We read the newsgroup and will attempt to answer esoteric
sl@0: questions for which no one else is likely to know the answer.  In addition,
sl@0: see the following page on the Wiki for links to other organizations that offer
sl@0: Tcl/Tk training:
sl@0: 
sl@0: 	http://wiki.tcl.tk/training
sl@0: 
sl@0: 10. Thank You
sl@0: -------------
sl@0: 
sl@0: We'd like to express our thanks to the Tcl community for all the
sl@0: helpful suggestions, bug reports, and patches we have received.
sl@0: Tcl/Tk has improved vastly and will continue to do so with your help.