rkirkpat.net EasyScout 2.0 
README (2004/01/01)
==========================

This is a fork of the upstream EasyScout 1.10 version, as maintained by
Dr. Conan C. Albrecht. There are several reasons why I have created this fork,
even when Dr. Albrecht has asked that no forks be made.

 *) The web server hosting the public instance of EasyScout has been shutdown,
 leaving users of this software to find their own hosting solutions.

 *) The source code, as distributed by Dr. Albrecht, is only minimally useful,
 as it comes with hardly any setup instructions, especially for setting the
 software up with Linux/Apache/Tomact. 

 *) There are serious features missing, namely the ability to import a backup
 file exported from EasyScout back in. A backup is useless if there is no way to
 restore it.

 *) Lack of response from Dr. Albrecht concerning the above issues.

Therefore, to continue the support of this software for my scout troop, Troop
171 of Boulder, CO, I have made this branch. The major changes are:

 *) Restructuring of the source code archive to make the format of a Tomcat
 WebApp, and inclusion of the necessary graphical images for the software (icons
 and the like). The images were available from the site, free for use, but were
 not included in the upstream source archive.

 *) Setup instructions and configurations scripts to assist easy installation on
 a Linux server running Apache and Tomcat. 

 *) Multiple tweaks and bug fixes to the software, making it more robust and
 usable (see ChangeLog for details).

 *) Ability to restore to a backup file using the web interface (i.e. a very
 fast, computer driven re-entry). See the associated EasyScout Python Utils
 (ESPyUtils) package for details.

 *) Ability to load a backup file into an SQL database server to run third party
 reports and analyses. This part is still under development, and will be
 released in an associated package when ready.

In accordance with the GNU-GPL, the license under which EasyScout is released,
all of my changes are present in this package. This package is available from my
website (http://www.rkirkpat.net/), which includes all source code necessary for
running EasyScout. No binary, executable files are included. Furthermore all
changes have been sent (or will be soon) to Dr. Albrecht for his review, and at
his leisure to be added to the upstream EasyScout software.

In no ways is the above trying to detract from the software that Dr. Albrecht
has written. EasyScout is, in my humble opinion, the best, free, web-based troop
management software available, and I am glad he has decided to release it under
the GNU-GPL. It is only because he has released it as such, am I able to pick up
where he has left off and continue to make EasyScout a viable and useful piece
of software. 

Please read the original README file included with this package for
Dr. Albrecht's background on this software. With the passing of the public
EasyScout site, I feel his comments concerning troops hosting their own
installations are moot. Attention to a few common sense security concerns will
provide a sufficiently secure server. Furthermore, if phone numbers, addresses,
and other sensitive information are omitted from the EasyScout databases (which
can be done without affecting the functionality of the software) the damage of a
security breach will be limited.

I hope this packaging of the EasyScout software will help troops that have come
to depend on this software to setup their own installations in an easy (and to
some extent secure) manner. If you have any questions about EasyScout, or need
assistance in setting it up, feel free to contact Dr. Albrecht or myself
(scouts@rkirkpat.net). I will do my best to respond to any such queries in a
timely fashion.

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|   "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."                    |
|                                            --- Philippians 1:21 (KJV)   |
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|   Ryan Kirkpatrick  |  Boulder, Colorado  |  http://www.rkirkpat.net/   |
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