-*- Text -*-
This is the file .../MOOSE/info/MOOSE.nfo, which contains the topmost node of
the MOOSE Info hierarchy.


File: MOOSE.nfo		Node: Top	Up:(DIR)

* Menu:

About MOOSE:
===========
* Intro::			Why the MOOSE ?
* License::			Copyright notice and License agreement.
				PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.
* Distrib::			How to get the latest MOOSE distribution.
* History: (History.nfo).	A History of the MOOSE project.
* Glossary: (Glossary.nfo).	The glossary.


Using MOOSE:
===========
* Programming: (Progrmng.nfo).	An Introduction to Computers and Programming
				in general and thus to MOOSE in particular.
* Specs: (Specs.nfo).		MOOSE specifications.
* HLL: (HLL.nfo).		The MOOSE High-Level Language.
* OSL: (OSL.nfo).		The MOOSE (Low-Level) Object & Stack Language.
* Libraries: (Libs.nfo).	MOOSE standard libraries.
* i386: (i386impl.nfo).		MOOSE i386 implementation specific stuff.


MOOSE and Data Exchange:
=======================
* SPOS: (SPOS.nfo).		The MOOSE Secure Persistent Object Server.
				(what would have been the FS in other OSes)
* GOOSE: (GOOSE.nfo).		The MOOSE Generic OS-independant Object file
				Encryption (what would have been the object
				file format in more traditional OSes)

Booting MOOSE:
=============
* BootUtil: (boot.nfo).		MOOSE Bootstrapping utilities.
* Clibs: (CLibs.nfo).		C Libraries used for MOOSE.
* BIOS-API: (BIOS-API.nfo).	Using the i386 kernel on top of just the BIOS.

Technical information:		Intended for internal MOOSE developping use.
=====================
All systems:
* File Systems: (FS.nfo).	How File Systems are laid out.

PCs:
* 80x86 Family: (CPU_x86.nfo).	The 80x86 family of processors.
* BIOS: (BIOS.nfo).		A technical map of the PC's BIOS.
* DOS: (DOS.nfo).		A technical map of the PC's DOS.
* Interrupt List:(IntList.nfo). A list of interruptions & reserverd areas.
* DOS Extensions: (DOSExt.nfo).	Enhancing MS-LOSS (including PM).
* PC Hardware: (PCHard.nfo).	The hardware of PC's, except for Video cards.
* PC Video: (PCVideo.nfo).	How to program PC Video cards.

File: MOOSE.nfo, Node: Intro, Prev: Top, Next: License, Up: Top

   MOOSE is a project born all over the world by people who gathered on the
Internet to get rid of the trash companies sell as ``State of the Art Operating
System''. It is an Operating System (OS) project designed to implement all
those long talked-about-but-never-released (to the public) features a true
OS ought to offer: object orientation, lightweight threading, fast
communications, real-time computation.
   It stands for Multitasking Object-oriented Operating SystEm.

   But what is an Operating System ?

   In a computer the OS is the basic software that provides a standard way for
objects to coexist and share each other's capabilities. That is, the OS' main
task will be to multiplex and unmultiplex (=share) objects in a standard
format. Together with the System come Drivers and Libraries. Drivers provide
objects from peripherals (that is, the external world to the computer).
Libraries provide standard objects and object constructors and means to
manipulate them.

   Older systems have failed either to provide object sharing (cf. all the
older monotask systems) or a standard object format (cf. Unix with its ASCII
only standard), or both (cf. DOS); . At the time, no widespread system provides
usable sharing of small objects.


File: MOOSE.nfo, Node: License, Next: Distrib, Prev: Intro, Up: Top

  (This notice was vastly inspired by the GNU General Public License,
		   which I recommend you should read)

   While this notice completely written, you may apply the GNU General Public
License version 2 to this software, with the following modifications:

1. In no case should this software be sold or be made part of a sold
package of software and/or of services without the author's consent.
2. If this software is used in any means to write another software,
the other software must be freely distributed according to the GNU GPL
(any version), or with the consent of the authors of this software.
3. If you obtained this software with another license, you must agree
with the terms of both this license and the other one to use this
software.

   To obtain the authors' consent, you must obtain from them a modification
of this License notice that fit your purposes.. See * Distribution:: for
information about contacting the MOOSE project members.

File: MOOSE.nfo, Node: Distrib, Prev: License, Next: (History.nfo), Up: Top

   Well, I don't know it myself. But you may contact us using the MOOSE
mailing list. It is `moose-programmers@sfu.ca'. If you fail to contact the
team, try to contact me (see the signature at the end of the node).

   MOOSE is distributed as a free software for all those who write free
software: if you do distribute your software for free, you can distribute
MOOSE for free. For more precisions, see the License agreement (next node,
* License::). You may find it by anonymous ftp when anything is published.

   If you want to distribute MOOSE, but the License doesn't allow
you to, please contact us, so we can perhaps find an agreement.

--    ,        	                                ,           _ v    ~  ^  --
-- Fare -- rideau@clipper.ens.fr -- Francois-Rene Rideau -- +)ang-Vu Ban --
--                                      '                   / .          --
MOOSE project member. OSL developper.                     |   |   /
Dreams about The Universal (Distributed) Database.       --- --- //
Snail mail: 6, rue Augustin Thierry 75019 PARIS FRANCE   /|\ /|\ //
Phone: 033 1 42026735                                    /|\ /|\ / 
