           MediaChest version 1.1 beta2
           ====================================

Thank you for downloading the Open Source release of the
MediaChest.

  1. The purpose of the program.
  2. How to install the program.
  3. The status of the program.
  4. The distribution status of the program.
  5. How to contact the author in an event of questions or problems.

     The purpose of the program
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  The MediaChest is an attempt to unite manipulation of all multimedia files
  in one multiplatform program. The main distinguish character of the
  software is showing of hidden information of photo images or MP3 files
  to a user. Such information added to picture files by such vendors as
  Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Fuji, Epson, Kodak, and many others. MP3 files also
  save some hidden information that can be used for categorizing audio
  content. If you have ever used such program like Thumb Plus,
  PIE, MusicMatch, Windows XP, and PhotoAlbum you already know what is
  MediaChest. 
  The basic feature set includes:
    - Showing exposure, and other specific information about a shot added by
      a digital camera. 
    - Showing an original thumbnails prepared by a camera and a full resolution
      image in JPEG and TIFF formats. 
    - Loss-less image transformation, like rotation, mirroring, and others for
      JPEG format only.
    - Adding commentaries to JPEG format images. 
    - Manipulation with a digital camera specific information, as export and
      import. 
    - Image and media files renaming/copying based on a customizable rename
      mask + topic.
    - Creation image and music collections using as backend any JDBC compatible
      database. 
    - Creation HTML pages for picture and music presentations and web
      publishing. 
    - Storing collections on CD and in a database.
    - Complete web publishing including FTP and HTTP upload.
    - Sending thumbnails and images, and music collections to E-Mail recipients.
    - Upload images to web printshops and music exchange centers.
    - View properties, ID3 tags, and playing MP3 files.
    - Building play list using different criteria.
    - Complete drag & drop operations.
    - Can be operated by a remote control.
  This program also offers some unique features, like extracting a camera
  specific information and then restore it in an image, if such information
  was lost as a result of an editing of an image by photo editing software.
  MediaChest is 100% Java application, so you can virtually run it on
  any computer, and on any OS.

     How to install the program
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  This version is distributed as a ZIP file. Unzip this file somewhere on your
  hard disk with saving directories structure.

     Windows executable version:
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  The version is pending in anticipation of upcoming release Java2 from
  Microsoft.

     Pure Java version (any platform where Java is available):
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  If you don't have preinstalled Java VM 1.4 or better on you computer, then
  you have to do that. In dependency on your OS, you can download the
  latest Sun's JRE 1.4 from http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/jre/index.html.

  If you want to use advanced features of the
  program, such as a viewing images in one of 50 common used graphic file
  formats, or a sending your albums or selections by e-mail, then some
  additional downloads can be required.

  Now, you're ready to launch the MediaChest. Since, the current version
  doesn't include an installation software, you may be needed to modify
  batch/script file by specifying a correct path to system class libraries. 
  If you are going to using E-Mail feature, you
  have to also specify a correct class path for Java Mail API, and Activation
  Framework class libraries. For remote control operation you need to
  have communication port Java library installed for your platform.
  If you have JDK 1.4 and other libraries installed 
  as extensions, you can launch the program by typing
  java -jar MediaChest.jar.

    The status of the program
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  This program is freeware and open source. Since the author supports only
  features interesting for himself, it prevents moving the program to
  shareware.
  The Web site where you can find more information about this program, including
  the latest build, is: http://drogatkin.openestate.net/MediaChest.htm.
  This site is a member of the Open Source Java ring. The program was reviewed
  by JARS (top 5%) and added to Sourcebank.

    The distribution status of the program
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  MediaChest is freely distributable software. Use it, make it better,
  give it to your friends and enemies.
 
    Licensing
    ~~~~~~~~~
  GNU like license agreement has to be accepted before using and modifying this
  program as in source or binary forms.

    How to contact the author in the cases of questions or problems
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Feel free to contact Dmitriy Rogatkin the author of the MediaChest,
  if you have any questions, suggestions, or bug reports.
  Use e-mail: dmitriy@mochamail.com.
  Visit also web site, http://mediachest.sourceforge.net/, for obtaining
  the latest information.

# $Id: README.TXT,v 1.6 2001/09/09 08:37:59 rogatkin Exp $
