                          [The qDecoder Project]
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About qDecoder

   * What's qDecoder?
   * Why C/C++ language is necessary for developing web applications?
   * Inspected Compatible Platforms
   * License Agreement
   * Copyright Disclaimer
   * Project Contributors

What's qDecoder?

Being a Web Application Interface for C/C++ use, qDecoder is a solution
product for developers. The Query Fetch algorithm of qDecoder based on the
linked-list provides transparency with low layers by the simple library
interface regardless of COOKIE/GET/POST(including File Upload). Thus, it
enables the web based software to be more intuitively designed and
implemented. qDecoder is developed according to the free software model and
is publicly distributed.

Why C/C++ language is necessary for developing web applications?

It is true that such recent languages as JSP, ASP, Perl, and PHP make the
Web programming easier. These authoring languages make the database
interoperability easier through simple codes. And they also provide rich
libraries through CPAN. When things are like this, we sometimes ask
ourselves if we really need to develop web application using the difficult
and complicated C/C++ language.

Actually in many cases, we come to develop things using handy tools like
PHP that guarantees speedy development. But when critical requirements are
to be satisfied, many developers still want to select C/C++ which is the
industry standard language.

The processing of critical regions like file-locking techniques, the
processing of communications and piping between processes, the securing of
performance for bottleneck looping codes, low-level control, and the
manipulation of the character/bit units under a race condition occurring
due to many simultaneous processing works can be good examples. Moreover,
programs constructed by C/C++ can be easily transplanted on most platforms
without much dependence.

What we make reluctant to pick up C/C++ will be fears of the possible
development delay and the cumbersome implementation due to its unique
fastidiousness. Language is a tool for creation. And a tool is created
because it is needed. And now the tool is restricting creativity. What an
embarrassing situation it is!

It was 1996 when I was using a few public C/C++ libraries including
"util.c" of NCSA. I did not think any of them really satisfied me at that
time. And I started to compose the initial code of qDecoder. Since the
version of 6.0, qDecoder reached its majority and is capable of
constructing most programs with the advantages of C/C++ and with the speed
of PHP or Perl that are embodied in it (This is what I think about
qDecoder, and from now on, I will try to perfect it).

Handy authoring tools will be continuously developed. But the proper
territory of C/C++ will persist. That's the import of the existence, the
continuous development and maintenance of qDecoder.

Now, we believe that we have fully explained that we are not a defender of
C/C++ and have made clear the reason why C/C++ Web Application Interface
such as qDecoder are needed inspite of such convenient tools as JSP. It
will be our pleasure if qDecoder can help you when your development needs
the characteristics of C/C++. And we will be satisfied if the lesson of
free software is disseminated through qDecoder.

Inspected Compatible Platforms

   * Web Server: Apache Web Server, Netscape Enterprise Server, Oracle
     Application Server, Microsoft Internet Information Server
   * Operating System: AIX, BSDI, DG/UX, FreeBSD, HP/UX, IRIX, GNU/Linux,
     Digital Unix(OSF), Solaris
   * C/C++ Compiler: GNU C Compiler

qDecoder is developed and tested under below platforms..

   * GNU C Compiler on FreeBSD with Apache Web Server.
   * MicroSoft Visual C++ on Windows NT 4.0 with IIS.

License Agreement

qDecoder is a Free Software. And qDecoder is distributed under the GNU
Lesser General Public License since the version of 6.0(May 8, 2000).

Free software is a matter of liberty(in other word, freedom), not price.
So, the purpose of this License is to make a software free to assure
everyone the effective freedom to copy and redistribute it, with or without
modifying it, either commercially or non-commercially.

The GNU Project provides two principal licenses for libraries for Free
Software. One is the GNU Lesser General Public License (Simply Lesser GPL
or LGPL) and the other is the ordinary GNU General Public License (Simply
GPL). Using the Lesser GPL permits use of the library in proprietary
programs and using the ordinary GPL for a library makes it available only
for free programs.

The GNU group advises not to use GNU Lesser GPL because it does less to
protect the user's freedom than the ordinary GPL. It's right, Lesser GPL is
not a strong copyleft license. But in case of qDecoder, permitting of
linking with non-free modules can bring some kinds of other advantages to
users. That's why qDecoder has been distributed under Lesser GPL.

        SUMMARY: qDecoder is a Free Software and distributed under GNU
        Lesser General Public License. This is a free software license, but
not a strong copyleft license, because it permits linking with non-free
modules. It is compatible with the GNU GPL.

NOTE: It's very good idea to use one of GNU Licenses for your free
software. It will protect your rights and future problems.

Copyright Disclaimer

     qDecoder - Web Application Interface for C/C++    http://www.qDecoder.org

     Copyright (C) 2001 The qDecoder Project.
     Copyright (C) 1999,2000 Hongik Internet, Inc.
     Copyright (C) 1998 Nobreak Technologies, Inc.
     Copyright (C) 1996,1997 Seung-young Kim.

     This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
     modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
     License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
     version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

     This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
     but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
     MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
     Lesser General Public License for more details.

     You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
     License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
     Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA

     Copyright Disclaimer:
       Hongik Internet, Inc., hereby disclaims all copyright interest.
       President, Christopher Roh, 6 April 2000

       Nobreak Technologies, Inc., hereby disclaims all copyright interest.
       President, Yoon Cho, 6 April 2000

       Seung-young Kim, hereby disclaims all copyright interest.
       Author, Seung-young Kim, 6 April 2000

     Author:
       Seung-young Kim <wolkykim(at)ziom.co.kr>

Project Contributors (Alphabetic Order)

   * CHOI Junho, The maintainer of the qDecoder ports of the FreeBSD.
     Thanks a lot.
   * Christopher Roh, President of Hongik Internet, Inc., He always leads
     me to where I should go.
   * Dae-heung Park, Project leader of Simple Form Mail Project.
   * Jin-ho You, Graduated student of Junnam Univ., He notified qDecoder's
     vulnerability of overflow attack.
   * Jun-seon Oh He've positively assisted qDecoder Project with new ideas,
     bug reporting, new advanced codes.

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                          [The qDecoder Project]
