README for TDEAlternatives
------------------------

TDEAlternatives is a TDE program that a allows you to easily configure and
change your Mandrake/Debian alternatives system. 

What is the Mandrake/Debian Alternatives System?
----------------------------------------

The Mandrake/Debian alternatives system is designed to allow the system administrator to
select an alternative when there are several options that provide the same file
or functionality. For example, there are several different packages on Mandrake/Debian
that provide the command "vi" (the standard POSIX text editor) and Mandrake/Debian (and
other distributions using this same system as Mandrake Linux) allows you to
have more than one option installed (for example, to satisfy the needs for
different users on a multiuser system). But, how does Mandrake/Debian knows which of the
installed programs must be run when "vi" is entered on a shell? The answer is:
using the alternatives system. This system keeps a database of provided
alternatives for every option on /var/lib/dpkg/alternatives and a collection of
links on /etc/alternatives that point to the real program. So, if your default
version of "vi" is "vim", the link /usr/bin/vi will point to
/etc/alternatives/vi that points to /usr/bin/vim. But if in the future you
would like to change /usr/bin/vi to point to the nvi executable you could:

1. Change the link on /etc/alternatives/vi by hand.
2. Use the Mandrake/Debian command update-alternatives --config  vi
3. Use TDEAlternatives.


How is the program used?
------------------------

The program should be very simple to use; once executed (as root) you will be
presented with a window showing a list where there are entries with yellow
squares and subentries bellow them.  The entries are "nodes", that is, programs
that can have one or more alternative packages providing them and the
subentries are the alternatives. You can select one alternative just by
clicking on the radiobutton to the left of his name and pushing the "Apply"
button. Then you will be presented with a dialog showing you the changes to be
made and allowing you to confirm them before really changing the alternatives.

Please note that some "nodes" only have one alternative because there are no
more packages installed providing it and some alternatives are disabled (you
will be unable to click on them). This last case is because the alternative
exists in the database but the link to it is broken. This sometimes happends
with unclean packages uninstallations and usually is not something to worry
about.

Who do I have to whine if the program fails for me?
--------------------------------------------------

To Juanjo Álvarez <juanjux@yahoo.es>

What is the TDE-Mandrake/Debian project?
-------------------------------

The TDE-Debian project is composed of some individuals, actively supported by
some companies, trying to provide Debian and Debian based distributions with a
collection of first-class, updated TDE desktop including some TDE applications
specifically designed for Debian.
