$Id: README,v 1.8 2001/09/21 17:39:27 mdruilhe Exp $

  =============================================================================
  
				W-Agora 4.1

  =============================================================================


  w-agora is a a set of scripts written in PHP (version 3 or 4). 
  This package is intended to allow users to share/publish informations 
  or discussions over the WEB.

  Most of the enhancements in w-agora 4.0 were developped for the 
  educational servers in Germany (BLK-Modellversuch MoKK@)


  =============================================================================
			Main features
  =============================================================================

  Administrator side
  ------------------
  * You can install several forums (all forums can be managed via 
    your web browser);

  * Full centralized and Web-based administration (to create/ configure 
    sites, forums, customize look-and-feel, delete notes, ...);

  * Customization : all messages (including buttons, texts, titles), frames, forms are 
    customizable;

  * Frames or no frames option;

  * Post/reply in a new window (optional);

  * Notes (posted messages) can be stored either in a HTML file or
    generated on-the-fly. In both cases, the notes are generated from a 
    customizable template;

  * Message highlighting: The messages can be displayed in different colours depending on their date 
    (this option is available for each forum)

  * 3 levels of administration :
    - root (system administrator) who have all rights on anything
    - administrator : can administrate sites and manage forums and users into a site
    - moderator : are responsible of some forums into a site.

  * 4 forum access types:
    - private : can be accessed only by users created throw the administration interface
    - restricted : can be read by everyone but only validated users (eg. accepted by the moderator) 
      can post on it.
    - registered : can be read by everyone but only registered users can write
    - public : free for read & post

  * Moderation option:
    Each forum (regardless of his type) can be moderated: ie: messages posted by end users
    are hidden until the moderator decide to validate them.

  * Online User registration:
    Users can register online in a site. They can choose a userid then a password is 
    generated and sent to they email address. The user can later change his password at any time

  * Forum activation/deactivation:
    For maintenance purpose, a forum can be :
     - locked: Users can still access information but can not write to it
     - offline: The forum is not accessible

  End User side
  -------------
  * Threaded messages (users can reply to messages)
  * File upload support (optional), users can attach documents to their notes;
  * possibity to browse the file system on which the HTTP server 
    runs to publish on the WEB (optional);
  * posts sent to the administrator and replies sent to users by email;
  * users can edit/delete notes
  * Search in forum (via swish, Namazu search engines or search into database )
  * emoticons and smileys
  * auto conversion to links of embedded URLs
  * ability to receive replies by email (thread subscription)
  * forum email subscription (mailing list)
  * Forum download:
     - A user can download a complete forum in one big HTML file, This can be useful to read the 
     messages off-line.
     
  * and more ...


  =============================================================================
			Requirements 
  =============================================================================

  o PHP : 
  -------
    w-Agora runs with PHP 3.0 and greater (PHP4)
    You need a WEB server properly configured to run PHP scripts.
    You will found more informations at http://www.php.net/

  o A relational database :
  -------------------------
    Your PHP installation needs to be configured to access one of the 
    following databases.

	- PostgreSQL (6.x and above) => http://www.postgresql.org/
	- mySQL (version 3.21 and greater) => http://www.mysql.com/
	- Microsoft SQL server 7	=> http://www.microsoft.com/
	- Oracle 8			=> http://www.oracle.com/


  =============================================================================
			Installation / Upgrade
  =============================================================================

  - If you are installing w-agora for the first time, read the INSTALL.txt 
    file in the doc/ directory. 
    For impatients readers, follow the "Quick Installation Instructions" below.

  - If you are upgrading an existing w-agora installation, read the UPGRADE.txt
    file located in the doc/ directory


  =============================================================================
			Quick Installation Instructions
  =============================================================================

   1. gunzip/Untar the package inside your document root
   2. set execute/write permissions to the conf/ and forums/ folders 
   3. runs setup.php

  =============================================================================
			License
  =============================================================================

  This product is an open source sofware released under a  license derived from
  the artistic license.
  
  See: doc/license.txt


  =============================================================================
			Support
  =============================================================================

  - Please send bugs reports, comments, suggestions (and criticisms!) to the 
  support / development forum : http://www.w-agora.net/support.php

  - Latest versions of w-agora can be downloaded from
   http://www.w-agora.net/download.php and from the CVS repository hosted at
   http://sourceforge.net/projects/w-agora/

  - If you need customized support, professional installation or specifics 
    developments, please drop a mail at <mailto:info@w-agora.net>

  Enjoy it,

  -- The w-agora team (Marc Druilhe and all people who (did) help me in the developments)
