Add initial README.devices file.

[libsigrok.git] / README

diff --git a/README b/README
index eb8fb11689e6f6e0e85bf01a63586bd47da7a77e..4caeb65b86318e7e9c53df509e57e76abd9603da 100644 (file)
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -4,13 +4,26 @@ README
 
 The sigrok project aims at creating a portable, cross-platform,
 Free/Libre/Open-Source signal analysis software suite that supports various
-device types.
+device types (such as logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, multimeters, and more).
 
 libsigrok is a shared library written in C which provides the basic API
 for talking to hardware and reading/writing the acquired data into various
 input/output file formats.
 
 
+Status
+------
+
+libsigrok is in a usable state and has had official tarball releases.
+
+While the API can change from release to release, this will always be
+properly documented and reflected in the package version number and
+in the shared library / libtool / .so-file version numbers.
+
+However, there are _NO_ guarantees at all for stable APIs in git snapshots!
+Distro packagers should only use released tarballs (no git snapshots).
+
+
 Requirements
 ------------
 
@@ -22,10 +35,12 @@ Requirements
  - libtool
  - pkg-config >= 0.22
  - libglib >= 2.28.0
- - libusb >= 1.0.5 (for most hardware)
  - libzip >= 0.8
- - libftdi >= 0.16 (for some hardware)
- - libudev >= 151 (for some hardware)
+ - libusb-1.0 >= 1.0.9 (optional, used by most drivers)
+ - libftdi >= 0.16 (optional, used by some drivers)
+ - libudev >= 151 (optional, used by some drivers)
+ - libasound / alsa-lib >= 1.0 (optional, only used by the alsa driver)
+ - check >= 0.9.4 (optional, only needed to run unit tests)
 
 
 Building and installing
@@ -51,21 +66,18 @@ Please see the following wiki pages for more detailed instructions:
  http://sigrok.org/wiki/FreeBSD
 
 
-Firmware
---------
+Device-specific issues
+----------------------
 
-Some devices supported by libsigrok need a firmware to be uploaded before the
-device can be used. 
-
-The default location where libsigrok expects the firmware files is:
-
-  $prefix/share/sigrok-firmware
+Please check README.devices for some notes and hints about device- or
+driver-specific issues to be aware of.
 
-($prefix is usually /usr/local or /usr, depending on your ./configure options)
 
-For further information see:
+Firmware
+--------
 
-  http://sigrok.org/wiki/Firmware
+Some devices supported by libsigrok need a firmware to be uploaded before the
+device can be used. See README.devices for details.
 
 
 Mailing lists
@@ -86,5 +98,5 @@ You can find the sigrok developers in the #sigrok IRC channel on Freenode.
 Website
 -------
 
-http://sigrok.org
+ http://sigrok.org/wiki/Libsigrok