Introduction
************

Epoch is a modified version of GNU Emacs with several major enhancements:

  * Multiple X window support.

  * Marked and styled regions of text.

  * Support for proportional and variable-sized fonts.

  * Support for 8-bit clean fonts (ISO, Latin-1, etc.).

  * Asynchronous communication with other X clients (e.g., the window manager).

  * Mouse-dragging with highlighting to support mouse-based cut and paste.

  * Access to raw X-Window objects.

Some minor enhancements include various bug fixes and improved option handling.

As much compatability as possible with previous versions of GNU Emacs has been maintained.  Existing Elisp code should run under Epoch, although it will not automatically use the new features of Epoch, and the behavior may not be as expected when running with proportional fonts.  Almost all the X Window System support code in GNU Emacs was removed because of incompatibilities.  Almost all features except the X menu code were reproduced; we believe that the window manager should provide menus (see Menus).

Epoch requires the X Window System to function.  Support for editing on non-graphic terminals is provided but is equivalent to running an ASCII version of GNU Emacs with no Epoch functionality.  The mode of operation is determined as with GNU Emacs: if the "-nw" command-line flag is specified or if the environment variable $DISPLAY is unset, then Epoch will run in ASCII mode; otherwise it will run under X with full functionality provided.  Note: Please refer to the file INSTALL to ensure appropriate ASCII support.

Most of this manual is intended for the ``Emacs guru'' who wants to play with and extend Epoch's functionality.  Information intended for ``ordinary Emacs users'' is found in see General Information.  There is now a list of frequently asked questions; refer to the file etc/EPOCH-FAQ.

Support and Mailing List
========================

For sharing ideas about applications of Epoch, code, and bug reports, there is now a Usenet newsgroup: gnu.epoch.misc.  Articles posted to this newsgroup are gatewayed to and from the Epoch mailing list for those without news access.

To post to the mailing list send mail to one of these addresses:

     epoch@cs.uiuc.edu
     uunet!uiucdcs!epoch
     epoch%cs.uiuc.edu@uiucvmd.bitnet

For administrative messages (joining the mailing list, etc.), substitute epoch with epoch-request in the above addresses.

Getting Epoch
=============

Epoch is available by anonymous ftp on cs.uiuc.edu.  We are negotiating to have it available through other sites, and through uucp mail request.  Send mail to epoch-request@cs.uiuc.edu to find out the current status with this if you do not have anonymous ftp.

Epoch is available on tape: The cost at the time of creating version 4.0 was $175.00 for cartridge tapes.  We can currently make 1600 BPI reel tapes and cartridge tapes for SUN and HP 9000 series machines.  The price covers the cost of purchasing, making and shipping the tapes.  You should contact epoch-request@cs.uiuc.edu to confirm these rates. Payment should be by check, made payable to the University of Illinois, and sent to:

     Epoch Distribution, attn: R. Canaday
     Department of Computer Science
     University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
     1304 W. Springfield Avenue, Urbana
     Illinois 61801, USA.

Announcements regarding official (i.e., supported) patches and subsequent releases will be made to gnu.epoch.misc; patches will be available via ftp and email upon request.

Acknowledgements
================

Simon would like to thank the Computer Science Department at the University of Illinois, AT&T and the National Science Foundation for their support of parts of this work, and also Philippa and Ronan for putting up with him.

Dan would like to thank Simon and Alan for their fine work, and Clare and Carey for putting him up.

Chris would like to thank Simon and Alan for valuable contributions to the design of Epoch 4.0, and members of the ConversationBuilder research group for serving as "pre-Alpha" guinea pigs.

Susan Hinrichs, Alan's lovely wife, provided emotional, intellectual, and code support.

We would all like to thank Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation for GNU Emacs, and Colas Nahaboo and Bull for the GWM window manager.

We would also like to thank all those who have provided invaluable advice, assistance, and contributions in getting Epoch to this stage of development through Alpha and Beta testing, including members of the epoch-design mailing list.