NAME
    README - Slash Readme

DESCRIPTION
    Slash -- Slashdot Like Automated Storytelling Homepage -- is the code
    that runs Slashdot. More than that, however, Slash is an architecture
    for putting together web sites. It comes with functionality for posting
    articles, conducting polls, having discussions, and more; but it can be
    extended in innumerable ways.

    Slash is written in Perl, and is built on top of Apache and mod_perl. It
    requires a database backend, though the only well-supported database
    used with it is MySQL (more databases will become well-supported as time
    goes on; PostgreSQL support is already well on its way). Slash is fast,
    scalable, and secure (as evidenced by one of the best test cases you
    could have, running Slashdot itself).

    Through a plugin system, developers can add functionality to Slash.
    Through themes and templates (which are written using Template Toolkit),
    the look and feel of a Slash site can be customized.

    See INSTALL for information about installing Slash, including hardware
    and software requirements. Read that document carefully, and follow the
    instructions as precisely as possible.

    Also see INSTALL for information on upgrading from previous versions of
    Slash.

    As noted in the FAQ, please send any bug reports, and subscribe to
    mailing lists, at Slash's SourceForge.net site.

            http://sf.net/projects/slashcode/

DOCUMENTATION
    The .pod documentation included with Slash can be read with the
    "perldoc" program, included with perl, or translated using one of the
    many "pod2*" translators.

    The documentation is also available online on the Slash FAQ.

    Slash FAQ
        Basic information about Slash, how to contact the developers, and a
        lot more.

        http://slashcode.com/faq.shtml

    Template Toolkit (version 2)
        For more information on how to write templates, see the Template
        Toolkit site.

        http://www.template-toolkit.org/

    RSS For more information on RSS 1.0, and the RSS Slash module.

        http://purl.org/rss/1.0/
        http://slashcode.com/rss/1.0/modules/Slash/

    Installation
        The details on how to install, and upgrade, Slash.

        INSTALL

    API The details of the API available in Slash.

                perldoc Slash
                perldoc Slash::Utility
                perldoc Slash::Display
                perldoc Slash::DB

        The modules represent the bulk of the public API of Slash. The other
        Slash modules have embedded POD to be read with perldoc, too. Some
        of the documentation here is woefully incomplete.

                use Source 'Luke';

    HOWTOs
        There are currently the beginnings of HOWTO documents for templates,
        plugins, and themes.

        docs/HOWTO-Plugins.pod

        docs/HOWTO-Templates.pod

        docs/HOWTO-Themes.pod

    Schema
        The layout and description of the database. [These are out of date.]

        docs/slasherd.fig

        docs/slasherd.ps

        docs/slashtables.pod

    Other
        The slashguide document (previously called getting_started) helps
        you get your feet wet and gives vital information for how to run a
        Slash site.

        docs/slashguide.pod

        themes/slashcode/htdocs/slashguide.shtml

    Authors
        The authors and contributors of Slash.

        AUTHORS

LINKS
    Slashdot
        The site that started it all.

        http://slashdot.org/

    Slash
        The main site for Slash.

        http://slashcode.com/

    CVS
    	The main CVS repository.

        http://cvs.slashcode.com/

    SourceForge.net Site
        Access to the code, bug reports, patches, mailing lists, and more.

        http://sf.net/projects/slashcode/

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
    The information below applies to everything in this distribution, except
    where noted.

    Copyright 1997-2005 by Open Source Technology Group.

            http://www.ostg.com/

    Slash is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
    the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free
    Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your
    option) any later version.

    Slash 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 the GNU General Public License for
    more details.

    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
    with Slash (COPYING); if not, go to http://www.fsf.org/ or write to the
    Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA
    02111-1307, USA.

VERSION
    $Id$