readme file

2 definitions found

readme file - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  README file
  
     <convention> An introduction traditionally included in the
     top-level directory of a Unix source distribution,
     containing a pointer to more detailed documentation, credits,
     miscellaneous revision history, notes, etc.  The file may be
     named README, or READ.ME, or rarely ReadMe or readme.txt or
     some other variant.
  
     In the Macintosh and IBM PC worlds, software is not
     usually distributed in source form, and the README is more
     likely to contain user-oriented material like last-minute
     documentation changes, error workarounds, and restrictions.
  
     The README convention probably follows the famous scene in
     Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland" in which
     Alice confronts magic munchies labelled "Eat Me" and "Drink
     Me".
  
     [Jargon File]
  
     (1995-02-28)
  

readme file - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  README file
   n.
  
     Hacker's-eye introduction traditionally included in the top-level
     directory of a Unix source distribution, containing a pointer to more
     detailed documentation, credits, miscellaneous revision history,
     notes, etc. In the Mac and PC worlds, software is not usually
     distributed in source form, and the README is more likely to contain
     user-oriented material like last-minute documentation changes, error
     workarounds, and restrictions. When asked, hackers invariably relate
     the README convention to the famous scene in Lewis Carroll's Alice's
     Adventures In Wonderland in which Alice confronts magic munchies
     labeled "Eat Me" and "Drink Me".
  
     The file may be named README, or READ.ME, or rarely ReadMe or
     readme.txt or some other variant. The all-upper-case spellings,
     however, are universal among Unix programmers. By ancient tradition,
     real source files have all-lowercase names and all-uppercase is
     reserved for metadata, comments, and grafitti. This is functional;
     because 'A' sorts before 'a' in ASCII, the README will appear in
     directory listings before any source file.