FGx - FREE AND OPEN SOURCE LAUNCHER FOR FLIGHTGEAR
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Version 2.4.x


==== The project ==== 
* Bugs and documentation: http://code.google.com/p/fgx
* Code: http://gitorious.org/fgx


==== Minimal Requirements ====
Hard- and Software (TODO: Windows, Linux requirements):
- Apple Intel-based Mac, OSX 10.5.8, 1 GB RAM, 128 Mb VRAM
- Windows XP, Vista
- Linux Debian/Ubuntu, tested also for Fedora/Gentoo

Development requirements:
- Open Source Edition of qt, >= 4.7
http://doc.qt.nokia.com/4.7-snapshot/requirements.htm
- Qt Creator, for OSX you can also use XCode <= 4.0
- recent git


==== Installation ====

TODO

==== About ====
FGX is a qt-based c++ launcher for FlightGear. There is more than one launcher around for FlightGear like FGrun or others, intention for FGX was mainly to have fast and small launcher for OSX, starting the real and only free and Open Source Flight Simulator FlightGear within 5 seconds (also development versions and nightly builds). Since it makes no sense to have such a launcher only for one platform using qt, it became cross-platform and could be used also with Debian and Win.

The FGX project was started early 2011 by Yves Sablonier in Swiss Mountains, peering to another project started once by Pedro. Bright Pedro in Wales (there are mountains too) was enough of a git to go and check it out, then code a load of patches to its current state and do all needed changes, to get more stable code. Yves Sablonier tried to step down, but Pedro still needs him for issue tracking, polish, to get a good logo, and maybe once for good manuals and documentation. So Yves Sablonier did not step down, but he is always one step behind ...

June 2011 Geoff McLane joined the project and started to extend debugging and logging tools and created a non-database fallback for the xml parsing of aircraft and airport data. In general he brings a lot more style to the code everywhere. He writes proper and important helpers for FGx, like zlib integration or log utilities.

==== License ====
All the code is under GPLv2 or later. LICENCE.txt and README.txt have to be included with every distribution. Please donÕt bootleg, make loads of copies and flog them around. Do what you want and what GPL allows you. The logo FGx logo is trademarked and patented under the creative commons and owned by Yves Sablonier, Zurich (unfortunately GPL does not cover free and open source artwork, thatÕs why Yves choose CC, until someone explains him how to protect free artwork under GPL).

==== Authors ==== 
*Yves Sablonier (CH), flightgear [at] sablonier dot ch
Project Lead, Code Facility Services, GUI Design and Features
*Pete Morgan (UK) pete [at] freeflightsim dot org
Coding lead, Developer and Programmer, Application Design
*Geoff McLane (F) ubuntu [at] geoffair.info
Senior Developer, Analyst, Reviewer, Engineer and Programmer

Some included code in FGx comes from other GPL sources, like zlib from Jean-Loup Gailly/Mark Adler. We try to pay attribution everywhere, you will find such notes directly in the source files or documentation.

==== Other Notice ====
FlightGear is a free and open source Flight Simulator, available under GPLv2 or later here:
http://www.flightgear.org or here: http://www.gitorious.org/fg
Qt Open Source Edition is under Qt GNU GPL v. 3.0 Version

==== Thanks ====
First I send my BIG THANKS to Pete, who decided to contribute and who is responsible that FGx improves fast since early 2011. Second my thanks goes to Geoff McLane who brings a lot more style into the code with his analyses, proposals and new code.

And third thanks goes to ALL the FlightGear developers and associated projects. Without all this developers, programmers and users it would never be possible to have a cool, free, open source Flight Simulator available. Special thanks from Yves goes to Martin Spott, James Turner and Frederic Bouvier. 

(Beware of FlightGear versions where you have to pay for, original FlightGear is FREE, has a huge community, a living forum and wiki. We guess you will never get a better version than the original.)


==== WARRANTY ====
Please start with reading section WARRANTY of GPLv2 or later licence you get with this software.

=== FGx Links ===

Source, main Git Repository:
http://www.gitorious.org/fgx

Issue tracker, tasks:
http://fgx.googlecode.com

(Closed) Developer Group:
http://fgx-project.googlegroups.com

Personal Developer Sites:
http://fgx.freeflightsim.org
http://fgx.sablonier.ch

==== FlightGear Links ====

FlightGear Wiki Central:
http://wiki.flightgear.org

FlightGear Source, Development Site: 
http://www.gitorious.org/fg

FlightGear Forum (User and Development Forums):
http://www.flightgear.org/forums