[Anet-checkins] CVS: Documentation/user/text userIntro.txt,1.1,1.2

[Benoit N. <be...@us...>]

Update of /cvsroot/anet/Documentation/user/text
In directory usw-pr-cvs1:/tmp/cvs-serv12497

Modified Files:
	userIntro.txt 
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Index: userIntro.txt
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RCS file: /cvsroot/anet/Documentation/user/text/userIntro.txt,v
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retrieving revision 1.2
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*** userIntro.txt	2002/01/01 22:55:53	1.1
--- userIntro.txt	2002/01/08 21:34:28	1.2
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  ANet can be seen as a canvas: all the ideas about Distributed Networks are already there, you just need to "fill in the blanks". Thus, ANet should be easy to use and very flexible.
  
+ Flexibility and ease of use is the major advantage ANet has over any other protocol for Distributed Networking that currently exist. If it's a distributed network, it can be done in ANet.
+ 
  The term "Anonymous", which is the "A" in ANet, represents that flexibility, or more precisely, its "lack of assumption" about how it will be used by the network developers. This "Anonymity" is characteristic to some Distributed Networks, actually all "Anonymous Networks" must be "Distributed Networks". More detailled information about this is in the "Developer Introduction to ANet".
  
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  The topology of the Network can be changed, and this change is transparent to most of the applications that use the Network.
+ 
+ ***How ANet works
+ 
+ - Client VS. Daemon
+ 
+ To become part of a Distributed Network, you first need to install the ANet 'daemon'. It is a program that will run in the background, without taking any space on your screen. 
+ 
+ The settings of the ANet Daemon can be changed by changing an XML file. But, since you might want to use the Distributed Network yourself, you can use an ANet Client to change the settings in the Daemon.
+ 
+ An ANet Client is an application that communicates with the Daemon to configure and monitor the Daemon, or most of the time, to receive and send data to the Distributed Network.
+ 
+ - Clusters
+ 
+ Let's say that there is one Distributed Network for instant messaging (similar to ICQ) and another one for discussion groups, and you want your computer to participate in both of these networks. What can you do?
+ 
+ ANet works with the idea of "Clusters". A cluster is a Distributed Network that share the same "rules". The network for instant messaging might not allow files to be transfered, while it is allowed for the discussion group network. A Cluster might have some special rules, like the speed of the connections, to geographical location (the average round-trip time), and so on.
+ 
+ Also, ANet uses what is called a "Cluster Group". A cluster group is just several clusters grouped together because they are alike, yet distinct. As an example, there are several instant messaging protocols (AIM, Yahoo, Jabber, ICQ, MSN...). They are icompatible with each other, but you just use them all at the same time, so you can be reached through those various services.
+ 
+ Cluster groups are usually made to group together clusters that allow the same service. A "service" is some kind of application you can use on a Distributed Network (chat, instant messaging, discussion groups, file sharing...). Not all services are allowed or supported on all networks, but several networks might support the same service.
+ 
+ As a result, the clients send or receive data from a cluster group. You want to use a chat client for ANet? You find one or more clusters that allow the chat service, you make a cluster group called "Chat" that groups together those clusters, and you tell the client to use the cluster group "Chat".
+ 
+ - Transparent ANet
+ 
+ There is still another way to use ANet without having to install any ANet Daemon or Client at all.
+ 
+ Remember, ANet is used to implement a Distributed Network. But you don't have to be in the network to use it. Likewise, your personal computer at home is most likely to use the internet, not be part of its structure.
+ 
+ This approach is very similar to what you already know about "using the internet". You launch an application and somehow, it connects "somewhere".
+