Readme                                                      Muze Ariadne 2.0b11
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Ariadne is something between a web application server and an application
framework. It is a lot like Zope, but not quite the same.

Simply put, Ariadne stores and retrieves PHP objects from a database, MySQL 
only in this release. Ariadne does this by simulating a file system in the
database on which it defines operations like 'ls','find','link', and 'get'.
Each object can be retrieved by another object or through an url. Objects can
create, delete and modify other objects through these and other operations.

Objects can have multiple views, or functions. These are different forms and
layouts to represent and change the same underlying object. The object types 
shipped with this release use a template system to represent these different
functions. All functions are mapped to a template, which gets included
inside an object and can therefor use all functionality the object and
Ariadne itself provide. 

The objects and templates shipped provide a rich management system for a
website. But the real power of Ariadne lies not in the easy online management
of a website, but in it's fast and powerfull object manipulation and
retrieval. It's very easy to build a complex dynamic website with multiple
interaction object types and complex views. As an example a pretty complex
calendar application is shipped with Ariadne. But you could also build a
threaded message board, a complex multi-site news system or even a clickable
map of a country, with different selectable categories of information mapped
on it. The last two have been done already :)

Also built in is a complete user and rights (or grants) management system.
You can create a new user, add it to different groups and change grants for
users and groups on objects. 

There are lots more possibilities but you'll have to see for yourself.

Do read the installation instructions as Ariadne is very particular about
it's installation. They are in the file INSTALL.

For more information or questions, point your mail client to
'ariadne@muze.nl', or read the newsgroups at 'ariadne.muze.nl'.

14-02-2000
Updated 28-03-2001
Auke van Slooten
Muze
