WHAT'S THIS ?

   ST@FF (Support Tool and Forum Frameset) is a forum system based on
   argument specific notesboards.  Designed as a support tool, for problem
   tracking and trouble shooting, may be used as well as a discussion forum
   system.  May be easily localized by translating the message file
   (currently available in English and Italian).

   ST@FF supports per-user structured access controll (read, write, reply,
   delete, moderate), keywords definition and assignment, different ways
   of searching, and e-mail notification of postings.


HISTORY

   V1 - Originally developped in perl, using the native filesystem as
        repository (no DB support).
   V2 - It has been enhanced for MySQL database support.
   V3 - It has been rewritten in PHP, introducing some restyling of the user
        interface (originally designed for a technical environment).`


CHANGES (since V3)

   3.0.1 - bug fix release:
         - wrong message in welcome page
         - reading note with integer number didn't work (ie 6 instead of 6.0)
         - hopefully fixed annoying popup for focus on readonly fields
         - CVS starts from here !


COPYING

   This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it
   under certain conditions; see the file COPYING for details.

   This software is OSI Certified Open Source Software.
   OSI Certified is a certification mark of the Open Source Initiative.

   You may want to check http://www.franzoni.info/open for up to date
   version.


INSTALLATION

   Unpack the compressed tarball into a directory within your website tree
   and setup the inc/database.php file properly.  It is suggested you also
   protect the inc directory for controlled access via your web server
   configuration file/program.

   Create a database with the name defined in database.php assigning full
   grants to the user defined in the same file.

   Test the installation by opening the index.php page, there will be no
   notesboard defined.  You have to manually load the maintenance page
   http://your.server/staff/location/path/manager.php (this page is not linked
   otherwise) for initial setup.

   As a first step you have to define a password to protect the access to
   the ST@FF maintenance - no other action is allowed until you do so: this
   is a critical section for security: notesboard can be created and destroied
   from here.

   Once the ST@FF manager password has been set you can start creating
   notesboards.  When a new notesboard is created a moderator accont is
   created by default: the access is so granted using _moderator@user as
   e-mail and no password - log into the notesboard using the above information
   and create any other account you may need (at least one with moderator
   privilege, then - but only after you verified your one is working - delete
   the _moderato@user account to avoid malicious access).

   Edit the inc/configure.php file for setting up the appearance and
   behaviours of staff. You can also modify the template files in the html
   directory but use great care and avoid to touch the php variables and
   statements in them.


DOCS

   Within the installation you can find some old files about V2 of ST@FF,
   in the doc directory: they definitively need to be completely reviewed
   anyhow they are the only usage information available as now.


BUGS

    Please report any bug by using the demo installation at:
        http://www.franzoni.info/open/staff
    or to the address below.  Suggestions are also welcome.


CONTACT INFO:

    Mauro Franzoni
    Via Torbole 1
    I-21100 VARESE
    ITALY

    e-mail: info@franzoni.info