X-Git-Url: https://perl5.git.perl.org/perl5.git/blobdiff_plain/734689b1e8aa3fb47e6824909f50ac8abf7ed09e..a672f009fb8f223715e97dfcac7fb84e4bb2904b:/README diff --git a/README b/README index 4205a32..3c614d0 100644 --- a/README +++ b/README @@ -1,17 +1,129 @@ -If your version of patch can't create a file from scratch, then you'll -need to create an empty thread.h manually first. Perl itself will need -to be built with -DUSE_THREADS yet. If you're using MIT pthreads or -another threads package that needs pthread_init() to be called, then -add -DNEED_PTHREAD_INIT. If you're using a threads library that only -follows one of the old POSIX drafts, then you'll probably need to add --DOLD_PTHREADS_API. I haven't tested -DOLD_PTHREADS_API properly yet -and I think you may still have to tweak a couple of the mutex calls -to follow the old API. - -These patches are copyright Malcolm Beattie 1995-1997 and are freely -distributable under your choice of the GNU Public License or the -Artistic License (see the main perl distribution). - -These are preliminary patches and although it should be sufficient -to show roughly what's been going on, they're probably not -going to produce a perl of any practical use yet. +Perl is Copyright (C) 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, +2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 by Larry Wall +and others. All rights reserved. + + + +ABOUT PERL +========== + +Perl is a general-purpose programming language originally developed for +text manipulation and now used for a wide range of tasks including +system administration, web development, network programming, GUI +development, and more. + +The language is intended to be practical (easy to use, efficient, +complete) rather than beautiful (tiny, elegant, minimal). Its major +features are that it's easy to use, supports both procedural and +object-oriented (OO) programming, has powerful built-in support for text +processing, and has one of the world's most impressive collections of +third-party modules. + +For an introduction to the language's features, see pod/perlintro.pod. + +For a discussion of the important changes in this release, see +pod/perldelta.pod. + +There are also many Perl books available, covering a wide variety of topics, +from various publishers. See pod/perlbook.pod for more information. + + +INSTALLATION +============ + +If you're using a relatively modern operating system and want to +install this version of Perl locally, run the following commands: + + ./Configure -des -Dprefix=$HOME/localperl + make test + make install + +This will configure and compile perl for your platform, run the regression +tests, and install perl in a subdirectory "localperl" of your home directory. + +If you run into any trouble whatsoever or you need to install a customized +version of Perl, you should read the detailed instructions in the "INSTALL" +file that came with this distribution. Additionally, there are a number of +"README" files with hints and tips about building and using Perl on a wide +variety of platforms, some more common than others. + +Once you have Perl installed, a wealth of documentation is available to you +through the 'perldoc' tool. To get started, run this command: + + perldoc perl + + +IF YOU RUN INTO TROUBLE +======================= + +Perl is a large and complex system that's used for everything from +knitting to rocket science. If you run into trouble, it's quite +likely that someone else has already solved the problem you're +facing. Once you've exhausted the documentation, please report bugs to us +using the 'perlbug' tool. For more information about perlbug, either type +'perldoc perlbug' or just 'perlbug' on a line by itself. + +While it was current when we made it available, Perl is constantly evolving +and there may be a more recent version that fixes bugs you've run into or +adds new features that you might find useful. + +You can always find the latest version of perl on a CPAN (Comprehensive Perl +Archive Network) site near you at http://www.cpan.org/src/ + + +Just a personal note: I want you to know that I create nice things like this +because it pleases the Author of my story. If this bothers you, then your +notion of Authorship needs some revision. But you can use perl anyway. :-) + + The author. + + +LICENSING +========= + +This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify +it under the terms of either: + + a) the GNU General Public License as published by the Free + Software Foundation; either version 1, or (at your option) any + later version, or + + b) the "Artistic License" which comes with this Kit. + +This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, +but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of +MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See either +the GNU General Public License or the Artistic License for more details. + +You should have received a copy of the Artistic License with this +Kit, in the file named "Artistic". If not, I'll be glad to provide one. + +You should also have received a copy of the GNU General Public License +along with this program in the file named "Copying". If not, write to the +Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, +Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA or visit their web page on the internet at +http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html. + +For those of you that choose to use the GNU General Public License, +my interpretation of the GNU General Public License is that no Perl +script falls under the terms of the GPL unless you explicitly put +said script under the terms of the GPL yourself. Furthermore, any +object code linked with perl does not automatically fall under the +terms of the GPL, provided such object code only adds definitions +of subroutines and variables, and does not otherwise impair the +resulting interpreter from executing any standard Perl script. I +consider linking in C subroutines in this manner to be the moral +equivalent of defining subroutines in the Perl language itself. You +may sell such an object file as proprietary provided that you provide +or offer to provide the Perl source, as specified by the GNU General +Public License. (This is merely an alternate way of specifying input +to the program.) You may also sell a binary produced by the dumping of +a running Perl script that belongs to you, provided that you provide or +offer to provide the Perl source as specified by the GPL. (The +fact that a Perl interpreter and your code are in the same binary file +is, in this case, a form of mere aggregation.) This is my interpretation +of the GPL. If you still have concerns or difficulties understanding +my intent, feel free to contact me. Of course, the Artistic License +spells all this out for your protection, so you may prefer to use that. + +