If you're upgrading from EPIC4, and you have your own ~/.epicrc (or ~/.ircrc)
file with your own stuff in it, you need to know about these things:

1) Aliases no longer auto-append $*
This sort of alias no longer works:
	alias m msg
Internally, up through epic4, the client would silently rewrite this to:
	alias m {msg $*}
without telling you.  This auto-append feature is not included in epic5, so
your alias is taken literally -- unless there is a $* there, it will not be
appended.  So if you mean to use $* in your alias, you need to put it there.


2) You need to /load global
It used to be that the client unconditionally did a /load global for you
and you couldn't turn that off.  Some people didn't like that, so epic5 does
not unconditionally /load global.

BUT: If you are not using a script, you really do want to load it, and you
will be alarmed at features that don't exist (like command history) if you
don't load it.

So put this somewhere in your  ~/.epicrc (or ~/.ircrc)
	load global


3) /XECHO -W to a window that doesn't exist is no longer displayed
It used to be that if you did /XECHO -W to a window that didn't exist the
client would just put your output "wherever".  The client no longer does
this -- if you try to output to a window that doesn't exist, then it will
not output it somewhere else, it will just not output at all.

This is an issue for things like MsgWins, where your script might be doing
something like:
	on ^msg * {xecho -w MsgWin *$0* $1-}
but if you haven't created a window called "MsgWin" then you will never see
your messages.


[more things as we go along]

I guess the time has come to write one of these things.  Here is some basic
information that will help you get started with using EPIC.

* THE EPIC HOME PAGE IS:	http://www.epicsol.org/
  THE EPIC MAIN FTP SITE IS:	ftp://ftp.epicsol.org/
  THE EPIC IRC CHANNEL IS:	#epic on EFNet

* The INSTALL file gives detailed instructions how to install EPIC.  If you
  are not able to install epic by using these instructions, you will need
  specific help from a unix wizard.  Please seek out your local unix guy and
  ask him to help you.  Bribes work well; unix wizards love cookies.

* If you find a bug in EPIC, please see the BUG_FORM file.  Reporting a bug
  without filling out that file may end up wasting a lot of time and delay
  your bug being fixed.  Please help us fix your bug quickly by providing
  all of the neccesary information.

* The COPYRIGHT file contains the EPIC license.  EPIC is licensed under the
  standard three-clause BSD license except that you are not permitted to
  remove the "Redistribution is permitted" clause of the license if you
  distribute binaries.

* The KNOWNBUGS file contains a list of all of the "issues" that are currently
  outstanding with this release of EPIC.  Please do not report any of these
  issues as bugs unless you also provide patches to fix the bug; otherwise
  it would be a waste of your time.  You can also find in this file a list of
  changes since the last release of EPIC.  You can find all of the changes
  made in EPIC5 at http://www.epicsol.org/CHANGELOG5

* The UPDATES file contains any amendments to the help files since the
  last release of EPIC.  You can find all the amendments ever made since
  the very beginning of EPIC at http://www.epicsol.org/UPDATES

* You can find a list of things that are coming in the future at
  http://www.epicsol.org/PROJECTS.  Please do not report any of these
  projects as bugs, as you would only be wasting your time.

* You can look in the 'doc' directory for interesting information:
  * EPIC_ABOUT - Gives a brief description of what the EPIC project is all
    about and where it has come from and where it is going.  It also lists
    a (semi-current) list of EPIC mirrors that you can use.
  * EPIC_THANKS - The list of people who are responsible for EPIC.  If you
    are not on this list and you think you should be, send an email to the
    address found in that file.
  * EPIC_VERSIONS - The list of all production betas and production releases
    during the EPIC project's lifetime, including the release date.
  * IRCII_VERSIONS - The list of all public releases for ircII up through the
    time that EPIC forked away from ircII.
  * SILLINESS - The list of all of the "silly" names and the EPIC release
    that the names belonged to.  Ask me on irc if you are curious.
  * TS4 - A partial list of what TS4 (orabidoo's efnet TS patches) features
    are supported in this version of EPIC.
  * color.txt - The original mIRC colors document, with explanations how
    EPIC's implementation differs from mIRC.
  * colors - The original documentation that came with fireclown's
    implementation of mIRC color support (for epic4pre1.043).  Some of this
    information is obsolete, but it is interesting reading.
  * dccresum.txt - The original mIRC DCC RESUME document.
  * epic.1 - The manual page for EPIC, sutiable for use with 'man'.
  * local_vars - The original EPIC document explaning how local variables work.
  * missing - A list of features present in previous versions of EPIC which
    you may find missing int his version.  Please do not report the absence
    of any of these features as a bug as you would only be wasting your time.
  * nicknames - The original EPIC document that details how EPIC keeps track
    of what your nickname is, and how it tries to prevent being confused.
  * outputhelp - *** VERY IMPORTANT *** This file gives practical tips how
    to configure EPIC so you can do various things relating to input and
    output, such as turning on eight bit characters, and getting colors to
    appear in GNU Screen, and so on.  Please read this document before
    reporting any output problems as EPIC bugs.
  * server_groups - A prototype document explaining how server groups will
    probably be implemented in EPIC some day.

[End of file]

This version of EPIC5 may contain strong cryptographic code which is
export-controlled from the USA.  In accordance with USA export controls
governing the export of munitions-grade cryptography in open-source software,
we have sent notice to the USA government about our anonymous publication
of the EPIC5 source code, in the following message:

	Message-ID: <013301c46447$d1ee7da0$369cfa04@2mbit.com>
	From: "B. Bruns" <bruns@2mbit.com>
	To: <crypt@bis.doc.gov>, <enc@ncsc.mil>
	Date: Wed, 7 Jul 2004 13:28:20 -0400
	Subject: Notification under 740.13e about exporting open source
                 software with crypto

It is our understanding that only "original exporters" need to perform
this step, and sites that slavishly mirror the original export do not
need to disclose to the government.  HOWEVER, NOTWITHSTANDING THIS, THIS
IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE AND WE SUGGEST YOU DO NOT DEPEND ON OUR UNDERSTANDING
IN LIEU OF YOUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS.  We are not lawyers and we cannot defend
you if our understanding is incorrect.

However, you may be considered an "original exporter" if you make
modifications to the source code, for example as a necessary step in porting
EPIC5 to a new system.  You would probably do well to disclose your port
to the government in accordance with all applicable laws.

Crypto Contact: B. Bruns (bruns@2mbit.com) on behalf of EPIC SOFTWARE LABS.

#end of file