@chapter Announcement

@c set the vars GNUSTEP-BASE-VERSION and GNUSTEP-BASE-GCC-VERSION
@ifclear GSTEP-BASE-MAIN
@include version.texi
@end ifclear

The GNUstep Base Library, version @value{GNUSTEP-BASE-VERSION}, is now
available.

@section What is the GNUstep Base Library?

The GNUstep Base Library is a library of general-purpose, non-graphical
Objective C objects.  For example, it includes classes for strings,
object collections, byte streams, typed coders, invocations,
notifications, notification dispatchers, moments in time, network ports,
remote object messaging support (distributed objects), event loops, and
random number generators.

It provides functionality that aims to implement the non-graphical
portion of the OpenStep standard (the Foundation library).  

There is more information available at the GNUstep homepage
at @samp{http://www.gnustep.org}.

@ignore
So that developers of non-free, commercial programs can use the library,
the library is released under the GNU Library GPL.

So that it can easily be included in non-free, comercial software, the
library is released under the GNU Library GPL.

For more details, see the @samp{README} file that comes with the
distribution.
@end ignore

@section Where can you get it?  How can you compile it?

@ifset GNUSTEP-BASE-FTP-MACHINE
The gnustep-base-@value{GNUSTEP-BASE-VERSION}.tar.gz distribution file has 
been placed on @samp{@value{GNUSTEP-BASE-FTP-MACHINE}} in
@samp{@value{GNUSTEP-BASE-FTP-DIRECTORY}}.
@end ifset
@ifclear GNUSTEP-BASE-FTP-MACHINE
The libgnustep-base-@value{GNUSTEP-BASE-VERSION}.tar.gz distribution file has
been placed on @samp{@value{GNUSTEP-BASE-SNAP-FTP-MACHINE}} in
@samp{@value{GNUSTEP-BASE-SNAP-FTP-DIRECTORY}}.
@end ifclear

The library requires gcc @value{GCC-VERSION} or higher.
See the @samp{GNUstep-HOWTO}
file for more instructions about compiling and installing the library.