* Introduction *

Straw is a desktop news aggregator for the GNOME environment. Its aim is to
be a faster, easier and more accessible way to read news and blogs than the
traditional browser.


* Minimum Requirements *

1. Python 2.2
2. Python ADNS - This is optional, but you get better results if you have it
    installed. If you don't, Straw's user interface freezes on every name
    lookup (the results are cached though, so it shouldn't be too bad.)
3. Python egenix mxDateTime module.
4. Berkeley DB3 or DB4 and their python bindings (pybsddb)
5. PyGTK, PyGNOME, and PyOrbit.
6. libglade
7. GConf

You should have (5) and (6) if you're using GNOME as your desktop environment
already. (4) should also come with your distribution. Installing PyGTK should 
suggests or even install PyGNOME and PyOrbit.


* Installation *

1. Make sure you have the required packages to run Straw

[myshell@test.com]$ cd straw
[myshell@test.com:~/straw]$ python setup.py install-modules-check

2. Build the necessary files to run Straw

[myshell@test.com:~/straw]$ python setup.py build

3. Install

[myshell@test.com:~/straw]$ python setup.py install

... Or if you want to install straw in /usr/local..

[myshell@test.com:~/straw]$ python setup.py install --prefix=/usr/local


* Notes on Installation *

Straw installs files into three locations: 

1. The straw executable into a directory that should be in your $PATH, like
   '/usr/bin/' or '/usr/local/bin'.

2. A library directory to a location that should be in python's search path,
    like '/usr/lib/python2.2/site-packages' or '/usr/local/lib/python2.3/site-packages'.

3. And a data directory into a location that should be an architecture-neutral
    directory like it '/usr/share/' or '/usr/local/share'

If the library directory[2] isn't in your search path, or if you for some
reason installed it elsewhere, you should point the STRAW_LIB
environment variable at the directory under which the straw library
directory was created. 


* Notes on Configuring your Web Browser *

If you click a URL, straw loads the URL in whatever browser is set in your
environment. This is set through the following easy steps:

 1. Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Advanced -> File Types & Programs
 2. Click on Documents -> World Wide Web -> HTML page
 3. On the left hand side, choose Edit.
 4. Choose your browser in the "Default Action" box inside the Actions Frame.

* Database conversion problems *

The database format changed between Straw versions 0.21 and
0.22. Straw will automatically convert your database, but people have
experienced problems which we have been unable to trace.

If the conversion fails, you will be shown a dialog reporting the
problem. The exception will be saved to a file, the dialog will tell
you the name. You should see what's the problem; if it contains an
error telling you to run recover, you should try running db_recover on
the $HOME/.straw directory, like this:

db_recover -h $HOME/.straw

However, this does not always help. If all else fails, you should
rescue your $HOME/.straw/config file and put it in a new, empty
$HOME/.straw directory. You will lose all the articles and images, but
your subscriptions will be safe.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

. However, it does not always help

* Help? *

1. Visit http://www.nongnu.org/straw for mailing lists and reporting defects.
2. We have a channel in irc.gimpnet.org. The channel is #straw.
3. For more installation stuff, run

[myshell@test.com:~/straw]$ python setup.py --help-commands
