update and reformat README.md #2250

pull colindean wants to merge 1 commits into bitcoin:master from colindean:doc/root-readme changing 2 files +63 −48

colindean commented at 12:06 AM on January 31, 2013: contributor
- updated references to files which have since been moved
- added reference to licensing
- added brief summary in case a non-technical user happens upon repo first
- miscellaneous Markdown-isms to make the doc more attractive
- remove unused symlink README -> README.md
I double-checked the makefiles and whatnot to ensure that the README symlink is not being referenced. It is not. Rather, doc/README and doc/README_windows.txt are copied for distribution.

This is a integration of my original work from #2102 and @gavinandresen's commit bitcoin/bitcoin@b67b9e70.

update and reformat README.md

* updated references to files which have since been moved
* added reference to licensing
* added brief summary in case a non-technical user happens upon repo first
* miscellaneous Markdown-isms to make the doc more attractive
* remove unused symlink README -> README.md

I double-checked the makefiles and whatnot to ensure that the README symlink is
not being referenced. It is not. Rather, `doc/README` and
`doc/README_windows.txt` are copied for distribution.

20d5945505

gavinandresen commented at 2:14 AM on January 31, 2013: contributor

ACK

in README.md:None in 20d5945505

   7 | +Copyright (c) 2009-2012 Bitcoin Developers
   8 | +
   9 | +What is Bitcoin?
  10 | +----------------
  11 | +
  12 | +Bitcoin is an experimental new digital currency that enables instant payments to

luke-jr commented at 4:01 AM on January 31, 2013:

10 minutes to an hour isn't quite instant.

in README.md:None in 20d5945505

  11 | +
  12 | +Bitcoin is an experimental new digital currency that enables instant payments to
  13 | +anyone, anywhere in the world. Bitcoin uses peer-to-peer technology to operate
  14 | +with no central authority: managing transactions and issuing money are carried
  15 | +out collectively by the network. Bitcoin is also the name of the open source
  16 | +software which enables the use of this currency.

luke-jr commented at 4:02 AM on January 31, 2013:

No, there are multiple clients. This particular one is called "Satoshi" (core codebase), "bitcoind", and "Bitcoin-Qt".

luke-jr commented at 4:04 AM on January 31, 2013: member

ACK with exception for comments.
colindean commented at 4:10 AM on January 31, 2013: contributor

I pulled that block from bitcoin.org with the intention of keeping the text consistent.

Perhaps both should be changed. Or should README.md lead the way?
luke-jr commented at 4:14 AM on January 31, 2013: member

Probably both should be changed, but given that it's on bitcoin.org already, that's probably not a topic/discussion/blocker for this pullreq and should be fixed independently.

ACK
jgarzik referenced this in commit 2daa2c13e1 on Feb 4, 2013
jgarzik merged this on Feb 4, 2013
jgarzik closed this on Feb 4, 2013
colindean deleted the branch on Feb 16, 2013
laudney referenced this in commit 0befde5458 on Mar 19, 2014
DrahtBot locked this on Sep 8, 2021

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colindean

gavinandresen

luke-jr

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#2102 update and reformat README.md