1. On what kind of systems can knm be installed?

!  You need at least Java 1.1.5 and the Java Foundation Classes 1.1
   (including Swing 1.1 Beta 3). Java 1.2 Beta 5 or later should
   also work. The final version will require Java 1.2.

   This version of knm has been tested with the following
   Java Virtual Machines (JVMs):

     Java 1.1.7 for OS/2  (JDK 1.1.7 IBM build o117-19980930)

   Please note that many JVMs are defective; you might encounter strange
   behaviour using them. Please tell me about problems you have with
   specific JVMs, so that I can investigate whether you've found a bug
   in your JVM or in knm. I will usually not build workarounds for JVM bugs.

   Please note that Microsoft JVMs intentionally are not Java compatible,
   so that knm (and many other Java applications) will not fully run on them.
   If you must use Microsoft Windows, get the JVM from Sun (it's free
   and it works). You might also want to look for extensions from Sun
   and Microsoft which help making MS virtual machines java compliant.


2. I don't have Java, and I don't have Swing. Where can I get it?

!  Java is available freely for all important operating systems. Have a
   look at www.javasoft.com to get the software itself or at least a
   pointer to where to get it.

   Java beta releases can usually be found at the following address:
   http://developer.javasoft.com/servlet/SessionServlet?action=showLogin&url=/developer/earlyAccess/index.html

   At the same places, you will find information on swing and the software
   itself.


3. knm never asks me for a superuser password. Is this safe?

!  No, it isn't. knm is intended for home users who don't grant anybody
   they don't trust access to their machine. Current (1.1.x) Java versions
   do not provide sufficient means to encrypt informations, so anyone who
   can access the data directory can manipulate the data at will anyway.
   If future Java versions provide convenient encryption mechanisms or
   if sufficient demand shows up, I might reconsider this.


4. knm issues warnings about possible deadlocks. What should I do?

!  knm is very careful and will (at least until GA is reached) issue these
   warnings very soon, even if the reason still might be a slow internet
   connection. If you've run into a real deadlock, you will see these
   messages repeating with at least two different stack traces. If this
   occurs, send me *all* these stack traces. If a real deadlock has occurred,
   you should kill (not: quit) knm and extract the last messages from the
   files mdrX yourself.


5. knm hangs or traps. What should I do?

!  If you think that the database in the memory might be corrupt, act
   as if it were a deadlock. In other cases, try the quit button.


6. knm is *slow*! Isn't there anything I can do?

!  You can remove the -nojit switches from the startup files. This will slow
   down startup but dramatically speed up all "mass" operations. Please note
   that without the -nojit switch, you might be confronted with some bugs in
   your Java runtime that could be avoided with the switch.

   In addition, the beta code contains some debugging capabilities which
   will be removed in the final version. Without them, the code will be
   both smaller and faster.


7. What is that "configuration file" mentioned in the startup files?

!  This file is created by knm. Its original name is <home>/.knewsmail. You
   can change name and position in the "Options dialog". If you do that,
   however, you'll have to feed the name and position to knm next times you
   start it.


8. How do I update to a new version of knm?

!  Unless stated otherwise in the history file, just copy the files from the
   new version over the files from the old version.


9. knm runs but behaves a little bit stangely. Will it help to reinstall it?

!  No. knm installation does not make any changes to your system, so this
   won't have any effect.

   If knm worked well before but shows problems now, you might try doing a
   CleanUp with a complete reorganization. If that doesn't help, try renaming
   the directory <home>/.knewsmaildata. The renaming will delete all your data
   and lets you start from scratch; if that doesn't help, you can always
   give the directory its old name back, and all your old data will be there.

