Welcome to the binary distribution of Perl for the Win32
platform.  This distribution has been compiled using the
Borland C++ compiler (version 5.02).  It is built around
the latest production release of Perl, version 5.004_01.

To install this package:

   * Extract the archive so that the directory structure
     of the files is preserved.

   * `cd' to the top level directory.

   * Type `install d:\my\own\perl', where d:\my\own\perl
     can be any path under which you want Perl installed.
     If that refuses to run for some reason (as it might
     on Windows95), you can instead say
     `perl\bin\perl install.bat d:\my\own\perl'.

   * Add d:\my\own\perl\bin to your `PATH'.

   * You may have to edit the contents of %NetConfig in
     `d:\my\own\perl\lib\site\Net\Config.pm' to set the
     names of the servers used by the libnet package.

This binary distribution has only been tested on Windows
NT, but is believed to also work on Windows 95.

It includes the following packages:

	perl5.004_01                         [*]
	Alias-2.3
	Bit-Vector-4.0
	Curses-1.01                          [*]
	Data-Dumper-2.07
	DateCalc-3.2
	DateManip-5.10
	Devel-Peek-0.82
	Devel-Symdump-2.00
	DProf-19970614                       [*]
	GD-1.14                              [*]
	libnet-1.0505                        [*]
	libwin32-0.07
	libwww-perl-5.10
	MD5-1.7
	MIME-Base64-2.01
	Storable-0.5                         [*]
	String-Approx-2.1
	Tk402.000                            [*]

Packages marked with [*] needed fixes to compile or run
properly.  All applied patches can be found in the
`patches' subdirectory.  In most cases, the patches are
trivial.  The full sources of the above packages can be
found on the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN).
Point your web browser at "http://www.perl.com/CPAN" to
find the CPAN site nearest you.

The patch to the perl core source enables three small,
but important, fixes:

   * getservby*() calls made to work properly even though
     the Microsoft DLLs are broken.

   * site library intuition from perl.dll locations.

   * fixed getenv(), so that -d:DProf works.

The modules in the distribution doubtless reflect my own
personal pattern of use.  In some cases, I made a
conscious decision not to include modules that don't
contain C or XS source, since it should be possible to
obtain and install such modules from CPAN without too
much trouble (or a C compiler).

I shall add specific modules to the distribution if there
is demand.

Perl can be distributed under the `Artistic License' or
the `GNU General Public Licence', described in the two
files `Artistic' and `Copying' respectively.  Most of the
modules have statements to the effect that they can be
distributed under the same terms as Perl, but you should
download and check the individual module's sources to be
sure.

This binary distribution itself can be distributed under
the same terms as Perl.  Beware that it is provided "as
is", and comes with absolutely no warranty of any kind,
either express or implied.  If you use the contents of
this distribution, you do so at your own risk, and you
agree to free the author(s) of any consequences arising
from such use, either intended, or otherwise.

If you put this on a CDROM, please send me <gsar@umich.edu>
or the perl-porters <perl5-porters@perl.org> a brief
message.  Altered versions must be clearly marked as such.

Enjoy!


Gurusamy Sarathy
gsar@umich.edu
23-JUNE-1997

