saturnng/docs/introd.texi

@c $Id: introd.texi,v 4.1 2000/12/11 09:54:19 cibrario Rel $

@node Introduction and License Conditions, Preparing saturn for Use, Top, Top
@chapter Introduction and License Conditions
@cindex Introduction
@cindex License Conditions

The @code{saturn} software is a poor-man's emulator of the HP48GX, HP49,
and HP40 calculators made by Hewlett-Packard.  It should compile and run
on any recent, XPG4-UNIX compliant, Unix-like system with a working X
Window System interface and OSF/Motif-compatible libraries.  For
example, @code{saturn} is known to work on the following systems:

@itemize @bullet
@item
Digital UNIX V4.0D on a Digital AlphaStation 200 4/100
@item
Solaris 2.6 on a Sun Ultra 5, GNU gcc compiler
@item
Debian GNU/Linux 2.1v0 with LessTif 0.91.8 on a HP Kayak XU
@item
Ultrix 4.4 on a Digital DECsystem 5500, GNU make@footnote{Limited
support: REAL_CPU_SPEED build option and serial port emulation
are not available}
@item
IRIX 6.5 on a SiliconGraphics Octane
@end itemize

If you succeed in building @code{saturn} on a system not mentioned
above, plase drop an email to the author, so that this documentation
can be updated.

@strong{Important notice:} I, the author, wrote the source code of
@code{saturn} in my spare time and, more often than not, while I was in
a hurry; therefore, it neither is nor intends to be a shiny reference
about good programming practice and so on.  The documentation embedded
in the source code often is sparse, incomplete and not much useful; even
the structure of the code itself and some design choices, seen in
retrospective, are not so appropriate.

The @code{saturn} software is ``free''; this means that everyone is free to
use it and free to redistribute it on a free basis.  However,
@code{saturn} is @strong{not} in the public domain; it is copyrighted
and there are restrictions on its distribution, but these restrictions
are designed to permit everything that a good cooperating citizen would
want to do.  What is not allowed is to try to prevent others from
further sharing any version of these programs that they might get from
you.

Also, for my own protection, I must make certain that everyone finds
out that there is no warranty for the @code{saturn} software.  If this
program is modified by someone else and passed on, I want their
recipients to know that what they have is not what I distributed, so
that any problems introduced by others will not reflect on my
reputation.

The precise conditions of the licenses for the programs currently
being distributed that relate to @code{saturn} are found in the General Public
License. For more information, see @ref{GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE}.

In addition, the name of IRITI-CNR shall not be used in advertising
or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software or of any
derived work without specific, written prior permission.

Bug reports or suggestions for @code{saturn} are most welcome.  To do
this, please contact the author, preferably by email, at the following
address:

@sp 2
@center Ivan Cibrario Bertolotti
@center IRITI - National Research Council
@center c/o IEN "Galileo Ferraris"
@center Strada delle Cacce, 91
@center 10135 - Torino (ITALY)
@center email: cibrario@@iriti.cnr.it
@sp 2

For bug reports and/or build problems, please include at least:

@itemize @bullet
@item
the release number of the @code{saturn} component involved.
@item
hardware, operating system, and compiler versions.
@item
for bugs, the calculator model on which the bug arises,
the release number of the calculator's ROM image you have,
a thorough description of the problem and, if possible,
a patch.
@item
for build problems, a transcript of the build session,
preferably made by @code{script} and, if possible,
a patch.
@item
anything else that you think would be helpful, provided
its size is reasonable.  In particular, do @strong{not}
send me your ROM images; this is not only a copyright violation,
it will also hog my mailbox.
@end itemize

Last, but not least, I wish to thank the following
people; without their help, @code{saturn} would probably
not exist:

@sp 2
@center My little twin sons, Samuele and Guglielmo
@center (I denied them the time I spent developing @code{saturn})
@sp 1
@center Jean-Yves Avenard
@center (No need to say why...)
@sp 1
@center Bernard Parisse
@center (Instant-load code, beta test and good advice)
@sp 1
@center Matthew Mastracci
@center (author of the "Guide to the Saturn Processor")
@sp 1
@center Eddie C. Dost
@center (author of @code{x48})
@sp 1
@c A simple ligature requires much work iftex...
@iftex
@center Sebastien Carlier and Christoph Gie@ss elink
@end iftex
@ifinfo
@center Sebastien Carlier and Christoph Giesselink
@end ifinfo
@center (respectively, author and maintainer of @code{emu48}).