this is Matrix Public Net v0.3
==============================

After the installation of the programs you have do to some
preparations. First you have to prepare the data-directory for the
mpn: "~/.matrix".

We have prepared a good start for you in startprefs (maybe installed
to examples/startprefs). Just copy the whole directory to ~/.matrix:

  cp -r startprefs ~/.matrix

The ~/.matrix/prefs.xml file contains all the preferences for your
network node. You have to fill in identity (an account) and
friend-entries and something more.

There are two ways of doing this.

1. The Easy Way

  For the easy way, you need an internet browser that can
  perform xslt transformations. At least the new Mozilla browser
  can do (v0.9.8 won't do) and all that are based on it (galeon 
  for example). 

  Next you have to register an URL-Handler in your system. For
  Gnome you can do that with the gnomecc (The Control Center).
  Protocol: matrix
  Command:  matrixurl "%s"

  With this handler you have a truely webbased configuration.

  Start your browser and open the file: ~/.matrix/prefs.xml.
  You can now make an identity and add some friends.

2. The Hard Way

  Go to http://matrix.wearlab.de. After registering you get an
  xml-snippet. Paste that peace into your ~/.matrix/prefs.xml,
  right before the last closing tag: </matrix-private-prefs>.
  Save the file, thats all.

  To add some friends to your friendlist you do the same thing
  with the snippets from the Book of Citizens.


fetchnews:

So you have prepared your identity and entered a friend or two.  Now
you can start your mpn-node. The central program is fetchnews.  You
can also start it with fetchnews -v to get some feedback.

xmms-matrixnews:

Now you only have to start your xmms and select the "Matrix News
Plugin" in the effectplugins section.

Whenever there are "Matrix Public Net News, News That Matter", the
plugin will fade out your music, play the message and fade your music
back in.

greporter:

If you want to say something, but there is no one who listens to you,
or there are not enough people that can hear you: start the
greporter. It is self-explanatory (I hope).



Troubleshooting:

Problem: I get a lot of 'open news retry' messages with a 
  terminating: Error cant open this and that. 

Solution: Remove all ~/.matrix/*.lock files. 


--
Matrix Public Net (c) Tom Nicolai <nicolai@wearlab.de>
Feel free to email me, if you have problems with this program.

The Matrix Public Net Library uses the Standard Function 
Library (SFL), copyright (c) 1996-2000 iMatix Corporation.
See SFLLICENSE.TXT for the license of the SFL.

