                  I2CB icbd -- the Improved ICB Server
                  ------------------------------------
ICBD is an online chat system which allows a large number of users
to participate in realtime online discussions.  Among the features
of the ICB chat system are:

  * Simple, fast protocol and efficient polling-based implementation
    minimize `lag' effects

  * Persistent user database allows authentication of nicknames,
    storage of various user information, and leaving messages for
    users who are not logged on at the moment.

  * Any user may create groups, and exercise control over those
    groups, allowing for a wide range of discussion styles.  This
    control includes making groups public or private, visible or
    invisible, and moderated or unmoderated

  * The fabulous, famous '/brick' command lends true interactivity
    to the chat experience :-)


			        HISTORY
				-------
The original Forumnet ICB server and client were released in 1990,
and ran on a variety of BSD 4.3-based platforms.  In the ten years
since then, the ICB protocol and software have largely been eclipsed
by IRC.  For some purposes, however, ICB, with it's simplicity,
flexible user database, and simplicity of setup remains an ideal
choice.

In the time since 1990, a number of patched versions of ICB have
circulated, with various bug fixes, added features, and added
platform support.

This project is an attempt to take the best of these patches and
added functionality, and make them available in a modernized,
security audited, and well-maintained version of the icb client
and server.

Please see the file CHANGES for a description of changes between
this icbd and the original icbd, and between versions of this icbd.


			        CLIENTS 
				-------
In addition to the i2cb client, still in development, the following
ICB clients are readily available:

  * IrcII, an IRC client with ICB support (/server -icb my.server.com)
    is available from ftp://ircftp.au.eterna.com.au/pub/ircII/

  * TkICB, an ICB client implemented in TCL/Tk, is available from
    ftp://shoshin.armory.com/pub/ , and should be readily adaptable
    to work under MacOS and Windows as well as Unix.

  * ZenICB, an ICB client mode for emacs is available from
    ftp://ftp.hungry.com/pub/fn/zenicb/

  * WinICB, a windows ICB client, is available from
    ftp://shoshin.armory.com/pub/


                      COPYRIGHT AND REDISTRIBUTION
                      ----------------------------

The original icbd code is

    Copyright (c) 1990 by Carrick Sean Casey.

This icbd is a derivative work of that icbd, and by it's change in
name to the I2CB (Improved ICB) icbd, notice is clearly given that
this server contains functional changes and additions.  All code
in this icbd which differs from the original forumnet icbd is
provided under one of the following copyrights

    Copyright (c) 1998-2001 by Jim Wise
    Copyright (c) 1998 by Scott Reynolds

In this package is a file called COPYING which describes the
conditions under which this code may be redistributed.


                              DISTRIBUTION
                              ------------
Fn is available via http from:

    http://www.draga.com/~jwise/i2cb/


                          SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
                          -------------------
This first release of I2CB, version 2.0, is intended as a milestone
release, and only explicitly supports the NetBSD operating system.
The next version, version 2.1, will include autoconf-based portability
to a wide variety of Unix and Unix-like platforms.


                               INSTALLING
                               ----------
In order to install icbd, edit the files config.mk and config.h in
this directory, and run `make' and then `make install' as root.
If this is your first time installing icbd, you can do `make init'
as root to install default config files and an empty user database.
Note that if you have been using an older forumnet-based icb server,
you can continue to use your existing config and userdb files.
