This is PARI/GP, version 2.1.x (*).

PARI/GP Number Theory-oriented Computer Algebra System
        Copyright (C) 2000 The PARI Group, Bordeaux.

==========================================================================

To get started, run TeX on the file INSTALL.tex and have a look at the dvi
(extracted verbatim from Appendix A of the user manual). If you are in a
hurry, look at INSTALL.txt (ascii file). But a lot of information is missing
there.

Typing 'make doc' should typeset the PARI/GP user's manual, a tutorial and
reference card in directory doc.

See the files NEW and COMPAT for new features and incompatible changes
respectively between 2.0 and older versions. See Changelog for (a terse
description of) subsequent patches.

The file README.DOS is specific to DOS, OS/2 and Windows 3.1 users.
The file README.WIN is specific to Windows 3.2 (95/98/2000/NT) users.

For the adventurous:
* If you want to check up-to-date, but possibly unstable, development
versions of PARI/GP or do development work yourself, see the file CVS.txt.

* Directory Odos/ contains information to compile binaries on DOS-based
systems (DOS, OS/2, Win3.1, Win95/98/NT/CE).

Afterwards, you're on your own...

==========================================================================

There are three mailing lists devoted to the PARI/GP package (run courtesy of
Dan Bernstein), and most feedback should be directed to those. They are:

- pari-announce: to announce major version changes. You can't write to this
one, but you should probably subscribe.

- pari-dev: for everything related to the development of PARI, including
suggestions, technical questions, bug reports or patch submissions.

- pari-users: for everything else.

To subscribe, send empty messages respectively to

   pari-announce-subscribe@list.cr.yp.to
   pari-users-subscribe@list.cr.yp.to
   pari-dev-subscribe@list.cr.yp.to

If you are not a member of any of those lists and don't want to become
one, you can write to us at

  pari@math.u-bordeaux.fr

At the very least, we will forward your mail to the lists above and correct
faulty behaviour, if necessary. But we cannot promise you will get an
individual answer.

Last but not least, PARI home page (courtesy of Gerhard Niklasch) can be
found at

  http://www.parigp-home.de/

  Thanks for your support, and have fun !

========================================================================

PARI/GP is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
Foundation. It is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
ANY WARRANTY WHATSOEVER.

Check the License for details. You should have received a copy of it, along
with the package; see the file 'COPYING'. If not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.


(*) Version numbers have the shape: MAJOR.MINOR.patchlevel.status. The status
increases through {alpha, beta, release}. New features are introduced during
the `alpha' phase, tested during `beta', and declared stable when `release'
is reached. The MAJOR version number (currently 2) won't change for a while.
The MINOR version number (1) increases by 2 when a new status cycle starts (as
soon as a `release' version is out) [odd numbers are reserved for `released'
versions, even ones for alpha/beta phase]. The patchlevel goes up each time
we feel an upgrade is necessary (improvement, bugfix, ...). `Release'
versions may be updated with further patchlevels if sufficiently important
bugs need to be fixed before the next cycle reaches completion.
