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1 | -*- text -*- |
2 | For an order form for all Emacs and FSF distributions deliverable from | |
3 | the USA, see the file `ORDERS' in this directory (etc/ in the GNU | |
4 | Emacs distribution or /pub/gnu/GNUinfo on ftp.gnu.org). For a | |
5 | European order form, see `ORDERS.EUROPE'. For a Japan order form, | |
6 | see `ORDERS.JAPAN'. | |
7 | \f | |
8 | GNU Emacs availability information, April 1998 | |
9 | Copyright (C) 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998 | |
10 | Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
11 | ||
12 | Permission is granted to anyone to make or distribute | |
13 | verbatim copies of this document provided that the | |
14 | copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved. | |
15 | ||
16 | GNU Emacs is legally owned by the Free Software Foundation, but we | |
17 | regard the foundation more as its custodian on behalf of the public. | |
18 | ||
19 | In the GNU project, when we speak of "free software", this refers to | |
20 | liberty, not price. Specifically, it refers to the users' freedom to | |
21 | study, copy, change and improve the software. Sometimes users pay | |
22 | money for copies of GNU software, and sometimes they get copies at no | |
23 | charge. But regardless of how they got the software, or whether it | |
24 | was modified by anyone else along the way, they have the freedom to | |
25 | copy and change it--those freedoms are what "free software" means. | |
26 | ||
27 | The precise conditions for copying and modification are stated in the | |
28 | document "GNU General Public License," a copy of which is required to | |
29 | be distributed with every copy of GNU Emacs. It is usually in a file | |
30 | named `COPYING' in the same directory as this file. These conditions | |
31 | are designed to make sure that everyone who has a copy of GNU Emacs | |
32 | (including modified versions) has the freedom to redistribute and | |
33 | change it. | |
34 | ||
35 | If you do not know anyone to get a copy of GNU Emacs from, you can | |
36 | order a cd-rom from the Free Software Foundation. We distribute Emacs | |
37 | versions 19 and 20. We also distribute nicely typeset copies of the | |
38 | Emacs user manual, Emacs Lisp Reference Manual, the Emacs reference | |
39 | card, etc. See file `ORDERS'. | |
40 | ||
41 | If you have Internet access, you can copy the latest Emacs | |
42 | distribution from hosts, such as ftp.gnu.org. There are several | |
43 | ways to do this; see the file `FTP' for more information. Even | |
44 | better, get the latest version of the file from `/pub/gnu/GNUinfo/FTP' | |
45 | on ftp.gnu.org for the most current arrangements. It may also be | |
46 | possible to copy Emacs via uucp; the file `FTP' contains information | |
47 | on that too. | |
48 | ||
49 | Emacs has been run on both Berkeley Unix and System V Unix, on a | |
50 | variety of types of cpu. It also works on VMS and on Apollo | |
51 | computers, though with some deficiencies that reflect problems in | |
52 | these operating systems. See the file `MACHINES' in this directory | |
53 | (see above) for a full list of machines that GNU Emacs has been tested | |
54 | on, with machine-specific installation notes and warnings. There is | |
55 | also Demacs that works on newer MS-DOS machines (see file `ORDERS'). | |
56 | ||
57 | Note that there is significant variation between Unix systems | |
58 | supposedly running the same version of Unix; it is possible that what | |
59 | works in GNU Emacs for me does not work on your system due to such an | |
60 | incompatibility. Since I must avoid reading Unix source code, I | |
61 | cannot even guess what such problems may exist. | |
62 | ||
63 | GNU Emacs is distributed with no warranty (see the General Public | |
64 | License for full details, in the file `COPYING' in this directory (see | |
65 | above)), and neither I nor the Free Software Foundation promises any | |
66 | kind of support or assistance to users. The foundation keeps a list | |
67 | of people who are willing to offer support and assistance for hire. | |
68 | See the file `SERVICE'. You can get the latest version from | |
69 | ftp.gnu.org in file `/pub/gnu/GNUinfo/SERVICE'. | |
70 | ||
71 | However, we plan to continue to improve GNU Emacs and keep it | |
72 | reliable, so please send me any complaints and suggestions you have. | |
73 | I will probably fix anything that I consider a malfunction. I may | |
74 | make improvements that are suggested, but I may choose not to. | |
75 | Improving Emacs is not my highest priority now. | |
76 | ||
77 | If you are on the Internet, report bugs to bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org. | |
78 | Otherwise, phone or write the Foundation at: | |
79 | ||
80 | Free Software Foundation | |
81 | 59 Temple Place - Suite 330 | |
82 | Boston, MA 02111-1307 | |
83 | Voice: +1-617-542-5942 | |
84 | Fax: +1-617-542-2652 | |
85 | ||
86 | General questions about the GNU Project can be asked of | |
87 | gnu@gnu.org. | |
88 | ||
89 | If you are a computer manufacturer, I encourage you to ship a copy of | |
90 | GNU Emacs with every computer you deliver. The same copying | |
91 | permission terms apply to computer manufacturers as to everyone else. | |
92 | You should consider making a donation to help support the GNU project; | |
93 | if you estimate what it would cost to distribute some commercial | |
94 | product and divide it by five, that is a good amount. | |
95 | ||
96 | If you like GNU Emacs, please express your satisfaction with a | |
97 | donation: send me or the Foundation what you feel Emacs has been worth | |
98 | to you. If you are glad that I developed GNU Emacs and distribute it | |
99 | as freeware, rather than following the obstructive and antisocial | |
100 | practices typical of software developers, reward me. If you would | |
101 | like the Foundation to develop more free software, contribute. | |
102 | ||
103 | Your donations will help to support the development of additional GNU | |
104 | software. GNU/Linux systems (variants of GNU, based on the kernel | |
105 | Linux) have millions of users, but there is still much to be done. | |
106 | For more information on GNU, see the file `GNU' in this directory (see | |
107 | above). | |
108 | ||
109 | Richard M Stallman | |
110 | Chief GNUisance, | |
111 | President of the Free Software Foundation |