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diff --git a/doc/handbook/chapters/preface.texi b/doc/handbook/chapters/preface.texi index 386cefa6d..636458eeb 100644 --- a/doc/handbook/chapters/preface.texi +++ b/doc/handbook/chapters/preface.texi | |||
@@ -1,13 +1,17 @@ | |||
1 | @node Preface | 1 | @node Preface |
2 | @chapter Preface | 2 | @chapter Preface |
3 | 3 | ||
4 | This collection of manuals describes how to use GNUnet, a framework | 4 | @c FIXME: Do we have to mention that this is Free Software? |
5 | @c FIXME: where did 'Free Software' in this sentence fit before | ||
6 | @c FIXME: we changed it? | ||
7 | This collection of manuals describes GNUnet, a framework | ||
5 | for secure peer-to-peer networking with the high-level goal to provide | 8 | for secure peer-to-peer networking with the high-level goal to provide |
6 | a strong foundation Free Software for a global, distributed network | 9 | a strong foundation for a global, distributed network |
7 | that provides security and privacy. GNUnet in that sense aims to | 10 | that provides security and privacy. |
8 | replace the current Internet protocol stack. Along with an | 11 | GNUnet in that sense aims to replace the current Internet protocol stack. |
9 | application for secure publication of files, it has grown to include | 12 | Along with an application for secure publication of files, it has grown to |
10 | all kinds of basic applications for the foundation of a new Internet. | 13 | include all kinds of basic applications for the foundation of a new |
14 | Internet. | ||
11 | 15 | ||
12 | @menu | 16 | @menu |
13 | * About this book:: | 17 | * About this book:: |
@@ -22,47 +26,74 @@ all kinds of basic applications for the foundation of a new Internet. | |||
22 | 26 | ||
23 | The books (described as ``book'' or ``books'' in the following) | 27 | The books (described as ``book'' or ``books'' in the following) |
24 | bundled as the ``GNUnet Reference Manual'' are based on the historic | 28 | bundled as the ``GNUnet Reference Manual'' are based on the historic |
25 | work of all contributors to GNUnet's documentation. It is our hope | 29 | work of all contributors to previous documentation of GNUnet. |
30 | It is our hope | ||
26 | that the content is described in a way that does not require any | 31 | that the content is described in a way that does not require any |
27 | academic background, although some concepts will require further | 32 | academic background, although some concepts will require further |
28 | reading. | 33 | reading. |
29 | 34 | ||
30 | Our (long-term) goal with these books is to keep them self-contained. If | 35 | Our (long-term) goal with these books is to keep them |
31 | you see references to Wikipedia and other external sources (except for | 36 | self-contained. If you see references to Wikipedia and other external |
32 | our academic papers) it means that we are working on a solution to | 37 | sources (except for our academic papers) it means that we are working |
33 | describe the explanations found there which fits our use-case and licensing. | 38 | on a solution to describe the explanations found there which fits our |
34 | 39 | use-case and licensing. | |
35 | The first chapter (``Preface'') as well as the the second | 40 | |
36 | chapter (``Philosophy'') give an introduction to GNUnet as a project, | 41 | Previously the documentation was contained in Drupal books, on the |
37 | what GNUnet tries to achieve. | 42 | old website. This format was considered unmaintainable for the future, so |
43 | Texinfo was chosen. You might find old and very old sections in | ||
44 | here in addition to more recent content. It took a long time to | ||
45 | finish the move to Texinfo (from Drupal to LaTeX to wrong Texinfo | ||
46 | output dump to good Texinfo) and only recently (late 2018, early | ||
47 | 2019) content checking started. We apologize to the reader for | ||
48 | any inconvenience and hope you apply logic where bad advice from | ||
49 | 10 years ago can be found (pipe to sudo to install software is | ||
50 | one example). Patches (contributions) to this documentation are more | ||
51 | than welcome! | ||
52 | |||
53 | The first chapter (``Preface'') as well as the the second chapter | ||
54 | (``Philosophy'') give an introduction to GNUnet as a project, what | ||
55 | GNUnet tries to achieve. ``Key Concepts'' explains the key concepts | ||
56 | in GNUnet. | ||
57 | These three chapters are the most complete in the documentation. | ||
58 | They are followed by chapters which explain specific parts of | ||
59 | GNUnet (and need more work): | ||
60 | ``Installing GNUnet'', ``GNUnet Contributors Handbook'' and | ||
61 | ``GNUnet Developer Handbook''. | ||
38 | 62 | ||
39 | @node Contributing to this book | 63 | @node Contributing to this book |
40 | @section Contributing to this book | 64 | @section Contributing to this book |
41 | 65 | ||
66 | @c FIXME: There's a good amount of repetition here, we should | ||
67 | @c FIXME: fix this. | ||
42 | The GNUnet Reference Manual is a collective work produced by various | 68 | The GNUnet Reference Manual is a collective work produced by various |
43 | people throughout the years. The version you are reading is derived | 69 | people throughout the years. |
44 | from many individual efforts hosted on our website. This was a failed | 70 | |
45 | experiment, and with the conversion to Texinfo we hope to address this | 71 | The version you are reading is derived |
46 | in the longterm. Texinfo is the documentation language of the GNU project. | 72 | from many individual efforts hosted on one of our old websites. |
73 | In the end it was considered to be impractical to read by | ||
74 | those who required the information. | ||
75 | With the conversion to Texinfo --- the version you are reading | ||
76 | right now --- we hope to address this in the longterm. | ||
77 | Texinfo is the documentation language of the GNU project. | ||
78 | |||
47 | While it can be intimidating at first and look scary or complicated, | 79 | While it can be intimidating at first and look scary or complicated, |
48 | it is just another way to express text format instructions. We encourage | 80 | it is just another way to express text format instructions. |
49 | you to take this opportunity and learn about Texinfo, learn about GNUnet, | 81 | |
50 | and one word at a time we will arrive at a book which explains GNUnet in | 82 | We encourage you to take this opportunity and learn about Texinfo, |
51 | the least complicated way to you. Even when you don't want or can't learn | 83 | learn about GNUnet, and one word at a time we will arrive at a |
52 | Texinfo, you can contribute. Send us an Email or join our IRC chat room | 84 | book which explains GNUnet in the least complicated way to you. |
53 | on freenode and talk with us about the documentation (the prefered way | 85 | |
54 | to reach out is the mailinglist, since you can communicate with us | 86 | Even when you don't want to or can't learn Texinfo, you can contribute. |
55 | without waiting on someone in the chatroom). One way or another you | 87 | Send us an Email or join our IRC chat room on freenode and talk with |
56 | can help shape the understanding of GNUnet without the ability to read | 88 | us about the documentation (the prefered way to reach out is the |
57 | and understand its sourcecode. | 89 | mailinglist, since you can communicate with us without waiting on |
90 | someone in the chatroom). | ||
91 | One way or another you can help shape the understanding of GNUnet | ||
92 | without the ability to read and understand its sourcecode. | ||
58 | 93 | ||
59 | @node Introduction | 94 | @node Introduction |
60 | @section Introduction | 95 | @section Introduction |
61 | 96 | ||
62 | @c In less than 2 printed pages describe the history of GNUnet here, | ||
63 | @c what we have now and what's still missing (could be split into | ||
64 | @c subchapters). | ||
65 | |||
66 | GNUnet in its current version is the result of almost 20 years of work | 97 | GNUnet in its current version is the result of almost 20 years of work |
67 | from many contributors. So far, most contributions were made by | 98 | from many contributors. So far, most contributions were made by |
68 | volunteers or people paid to do fundamental research. At this stage, | 99 | volunteers or people paid to do fundamental research. At this stage, |
@@ -109,12 +140,17 @@ social network, resulting in a significant growth of the core team. | |||
109 | In 2013, we launched @uref{https://taler.net, GNU Taler} to address | 140 | In 2013, we launched @uref{https://taler.net, GNU Taler} to address |
110 | the challenge of convenient | 141 | the challenge of convenient |
111 | and privacy-preserving online payments. In 2015, the | 142 | and privacy-preserving online payments. In 2015, the |
112 | @c TODO: Maybe even markup for the E if it renders in most outputs. | 143 | @c XXX: It is not correct to refer to pEp as pEp stylistic, |
113 | @uref{https://pep.foundation/, pEp} (pretty Easy privacy) project | 144 | @c XXX: but the correct version would lead to problems with |
145 | @c XXX: some of our outputs and/or older versions of texinfo | ||
146 | @c XXX: and devices that display versions on consoles etc. | ||
147 | @c XXX: This is why we keep the pEp until proven that p(tripple bar)p | ||
148 | @c XXX: does not create broken outputs. | ||
149 | @uref{https://pep.foundation/, pretty Easy privacy} (pEp) project | ||
114 | announced that they will use GNUnet as the technology for their | 150 | announced that they will use GNUnet as the technology for their |
115 | meta-data protection layer, ultimately resulting in GNUnet e.V. | 151 | meta-data protection layer, ultimately resulting in GNUnet e.V. |
116 | entering into a formal long-term collaboration with the pEp | 152 | entering into a formal long-term collaboration with the pEp |
117 | foundation. In 2016, Taler Systems SA, a first startup using GNUnet | 153 | Foundation. In 2016, Taler Systems SA, a first startup using GNUnet |
118 | technology, was founded with support from the community. | 154 | technology, was founded with support from the community. |
119 | 155 | ||
120 | GNUnet is not merely a technical project, but also a political | 156 | GNUnet is not merely a technical project, but also a political |
@@ -131,7 +167,7 @@ Similarly its flaws are not limited to the protocol design. Thus, | |||
131 | technical excellence by itself will not suffice to create a better | 167 | technical excellence by itself will not suffice to create a better |
132 | network. We also need to build a community that is wise, humble and | 168 | network. We also need to build a community that is wise, humble and |
133 | has a sense of humor to achieve our goal to create a technical | 169 | has a sense of humor to achieve our goal to create a technical |
134 | foundation for a society we would like to live in. | 170 | foundation for a society we would like to live in. |
135 | 171 | ||
136 | 172 | ||
137 | @node Project governance | 173 | @node Project governance |
@@ -142,15 +178,12 @@ follows the governance model of a benevolent dictator. This means | |||
142 | that ultimately, the GNU project appoints the GNU maintainer and can | 178 | that ultimately, the GNU project appoints the GNU maintainer and can |
143 | overrule decisions made by the GNUnet maintainer. Similarly, the | 179 | overrule decisions made by the GNUnet maintainer. Similarly, the |
144 | GNUnet maintainer can overrule any decisions made by individual | 180 | GNUnet maintainer can overrule any decisions made by individual |
145 | @c TODO: Should we mention if this is just about GNUnet? Other projects | ||
146 | @c TODO: in GNU seem to have rare issues (GCC, the 2018 documentation | ||
147 | @c TODO: discussion. | ||
148 | developers. Still, in practice neither has happened in the last 20 | 181 | developers. Still, in practice neither has happened in the last 20 |
149 | years, and we hope to keep it that way. | 182 | years for GNUnet, and we hope to keep it that way. |
150 | 183 | ||
151 | @c TODO: Actually we are a Swiss association, or just a German association | 184 | @c TODO: Actually we are a Swiss association, or just a German association |
152 | @c TODO: with Swiss bylaws/Satzung? | 185 | @c TODO: with Swiss bylaws/Satzung? |
153 | @c TODO: Rewrite one of the 'GNUnet eV may also' sentences. | 186 | @c TODO: Rewrite one of the 'GNUnet eV may also' sentences? |
154 | The GNUnet project is supported by GNUnet e.V., a German association | 187 | The GNUnet project is supported by GNUnet e.V., a German association |
155 | where any developer can become a member. GNUnet e.V. serves as a | 188 | where any developer can become a member. GNUnet e.V. serves as a |
156 | legal entity to hold the copyrights to GNUnet. GNUnet e.V. may also | 189 | legal entity to hold the copyrights to GNUnet. GNUnet e.V. may also |