diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index ff1328754..9127b9180 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -12,25 +12,28 @@ Whenever you need ... ## Getting Started -If you're interested in helping us develop Discourse, please start with our **[Discourse Vagrant Developer Guide](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/VAGRANT.md)**, which includes instructions to get up and running in a development environment using a virtual machine. It's the easiest way to hack on Discourse. +If you're interested in helping us develop Discourse, please start with our **[Discourse Vagrant Developer Guide](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/VAGRANT.md)**, which includes instructions to get up and running in a development environment using a virtual machine. It's the easiest way to hack on Discourse! -If you're familiar with how Rails works and are comfortable setting up your own environment, you can use our **[Discourse Advanced Developer Guide](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/DEVELOPER-ADVANCED.md)** +If you're familiar with how Rails works and are comfortable setting up your own environment, use our **[Discourse Advanced Developer Guide](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/DEVELOPER-ADVANCED.md)**. ### Requirements +- Ruby 1.9.3+ - PostgreSQL 9.1+ - Redis 2.6+ -- Ruby 1.9.3+ ## Vision -This is a **Civilized Discourse Construction Kit**, an 100% open-source discussion platform that is free to use and contribute to -- forever. +Discourse is a **Civilized Discourse Construction Kit**, an 100% open-source discussion platform that is free for everyone to use and contribute to -- forever. Key Discourse mission goals: -- **Flattened discussion**, to avoid the akwardness of threaded discussion, while attaching replies which can be expanded in place for additional context. +- A **flattened discussion**, to avoid the akwardness of threaded discussion, while allowing replies to be expanded for additional context. + - A **user trust system** that grants users additional rights to assist in moderating the forum as they participate in good faith over time. The goal is for the forum to be nearly self-moderating in the absence of any formal moderators, although excellent moderators accelerate the process greatly. -- An **advanced JavaScript app** which runs in modern browsers, but delivers usability on both the desktop and the tablet, without the need for a native app. + +- An **advanced JavaScript app** which runs in modern browsers and works identically on desktop and tablet, without the need for a native app. + - A **contemporary, robust technology stack**, free of legacy PHP and MySQL constraints limiting developers and administrators. The Discourse team wishes to **foster an active community of contributors**, all of whom commit to delivering this continued vision, and ensure that online discussions can grow and thrive in an Internet age dominated by micro-blogging and diminishing attention spans. @@ -38,20 +41,15 @@ The Discourse team wishes to **foster an active community of contributors**, all This vision translates to the following functional commitments: 1. Support only modern browsers on the desktop: - - Internet Explorer 9.0, 10.0+ - Firefox 16+ - - Google Chrome *infinite* - - Safari 5+ - -2. Support the latest generation of tablets: - + - Google Chrome 23+ + - Safari 5+ +2. Support the latest generation of tablets, 7" or larger - iPad 2+ - - Android 4.1+ on 7" and 10" + - Android 4.1+ - Windows 8 - 3. Deliver support for the latest generation of small screen mobile/smartphones *as soon as possible*: - - Windows Phone 8 - iOS 5+ - Android 4.0+ @@ -67,7 +65,7 @@ accepts contributions from the public, and we'd like you to be a part of that co In order to be prepared for contributing to Discourse, please: 1. Review the **VISION** section above, which will help you understand the needs of the team, and the focus of the project, -2. Read & sign the **[Electronic Discourse Forums Contribution License Agreement](https://docs.google.com/a/discourse.org/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGUwejFfbDhDYXR4bVFMRG1TUENqLWc6MQ)**, to confirm you've read and acknowledged the legal aspects of your contributions, and +2. Read and sign the **[Electronic Discourse Forums Contribution License Agreement](https://docs.google.com/a/discourse.org/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGUwejFfbDhDYXR4bVFMRG1TUENqLWc6MQ)**, to confirm you've read and acknowledged the legal aspects of your contributions, and 3. Dig into **[CONTRIBUTING.MD](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/docs/CONTRIBUTING.md)**, which houses all of the necessary info to: - submit bugs, - request new features, and @@ -77,7 +75,7 @@ In order to be prepared for contributing to Discourse, please: ## Expertise -Discourse implements a variety of open source tech. You may wish to familiarize yourself with the various components that Discourse is built on, in order to be an effective contributor: +In order to be an effective contributor, familiarize yourself with the various open source omponents that Discourse is built on: ### Languages/Frameworks