diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 030271a..9e2a406 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,65 +1,60 @@ # Welcome to XEphem! -XEphem is an interactive astronomy program for all UNIX platforms. +XEphem is an interactive astronomy program for all UNIX platforms, +written and maintained by Elwood Downey over more than thirty years +1990–2021 and now generously released under the MIT License. ![Sky view](/GUI/xephem/help/png/sky-view.png?raw=true) -To see more screenshots, scroll to the bottom of this README. +There are more screenshots at bottom of this README. -# Installing XEphem +## Documentation -There are XEphem packages available for several operating systems. +* [Home Page](https://xephem.github.io/XEphem/Site/xephem.html) +* [Reference Manual](https://xephem.github.io/XEphem/GUI/xephem/help/xephem.html) +* [Changelog](https://xephem.github.io/XEphem/Site/changes.html) + +## Resources + +* [GitHub repository](https://github.com/XEphem/XEphem) +* [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/XEphem/XEphem/discussions) +* [Mailing list](https://groups.io/g/xephem) +* [Star catalogs](https://github.com/XEphem/Catalogs) + +## Installing XEphem + +There are XEphem packages available for several operating systems: * [Gentoo](https://packages.gentoo.org/packages/sci-astronomy/xephem) * [openSUSE](https://build.opensuse.org/package/show/Application:Geo/xephem) * [Slack](https://slackbuilds.org/repository/13.37/academic/xephem/) -If none of these packages is appropriate for your system, -the [INSTALL file](https://github.com/XEphem/XEphem/blob/main/INSTALL) -explains how you can compile XEphem yourself from its source code. +Or you can try compiling from source code. XEphem should compile fine +on modern Linux systems, though perhaps not as well for folks on macOS. +The source includes an `INSTALL` file with instructions. There are two +ways to get the source: -# Documentation +* Download a recent [release](https://github.com/XEphem/XEphem/releases) +* Checkout the [git repository](https://github.com/XEphem/XEphem) -* [Home Page](https://xephem.github.io/XEphem/Site/xephem.html) +If you want to get it running quickly from the source code, the +repository includes the code for three Docker containers that are each +capable of compiling and running XEphem. The commands to launch them +when sitting at the repository root are: -* [Reference Manual](https://xephem.github.io/XEphem/GUI/xephem/help/xephem.html) + $ ./Containers/docker-ubuntu-14.04/run + $ ./Containers/docker-ubuntu-20.04/run + $ ./Containers/docker-ubuntu-21.04/run -* [Changelog](https://xephem.github.io/XEphem/Site/changes.html) +Once one of the containers has launched, use the shell command history: +press up-arrow to ask for the previous command — it will be the correct +command to compile and run XEphem. -# Project Status +The repository also includes a `.tito` directory and `xephem.spec` file +for building an XEphem RPM package. -* Elwood Downey has generously released XEphem under the MIT License! - An “XEphem” organization has been created on GitHub - to host XEphem’s [source code](https://github.com/XEphem/XEphem). - -* The XEphem community hopes to modernize the code - to make it easier to compile, package, and run on modern systems. - In the meantime, - XEphem compiles most readily on older Linux platforms - like Ubuntu 14.04. - -* If you want to get started immediately, - a Docker image - that successfully compiles and runs XEphem atop Ubuntu 14.04 - is available. - It’s documented - [in its own README file](https://github.com/XEphem/XEphem/blob/main/container/README.md). - -* The repository also includes a `.tito` directory - and `xephem.spec` file for building an XEphem RPM package. - -* Otherwise, - if you want to tackle XEphem development on another platform, - start with the - [INSTALL](https://github.com/XEphem/XEphem/blob/main/INSTALL) - file in the `main` branch of the repository. - -* Direct questions to the main repository’s - [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/XEphem/XEphem/discussions) - by clicking “New discussion” and writing up your question. - -# More Screenshots +## More Screenshots ![Sun view](/GUI/xephem/help/png/sun-view.png?raw=true)