# ;; -*- mode: org; coding: utf-8 -*-

#+TITLE: GNU Foliot README

* GNU Foliot

GNU Foliot [1]
a small and easy to use time keeping application

It can be used in a single user mode or by small organizations. Starting
with version 0.9.4, it can import other user's database, an essential
feature for remote collaborators.

The fields it handles are: a date, who, for whom, what, a duration,
whether or not to be charged and a description.

It includes, on the main application screen, a powerful dynamic filters
criteria mechanism, which lets you visualize, work on and print a subset
of your time keeping entries.

A printing templates system allows you to (pre)define, reuse and hence
quickly generate the pdf files and/or printed reports of your needs.

A version which will let users export an active filter based subset of
their time keeping entries is under work.

** The name

Foliot was the name given, back in the 13th century, to one of the
essential components of the first all-mecanical clocks:

	... Starting in the 13th century, large tower clocks were built
	in European town squares, cathedrals, and monasteries. They kept
	time by using the verge escapement to drive a foliot, an
	horizontal bar with weights on the ends, a primitive type of
	balance wheel, to oscillate back and forth. The rate of the
	clock could be adjusted by sliding the weights in or out on the
	foliot bar ... [see here [2] for a complete definition].

** What else

GNU Foliot is written in Guile [3], an interpreter and compiler for the
Scheme programming language. It uses Guile-Gnome [4] for its graphical
interface, SQLite [5] for its database backend and LaTex [6] for the
reports.

** Savannah

GNU Foliot also has a Savannah [7] project page.

** License

GNU Foliot is a free software, distributed under the terms of the GNU
General Public License GPLv3 or higher. You must be aware there is no
warranty whatsoever for GNU Foliot. This is described in full in the
licenses.


[1] http://www.gnu.org/software/foliot/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verge_and_foliot
[3] http://www.gnu.org/software/guile/
[4] http://www.gnu.org/software/guile-gnome/
[5] http://sqlite.org/
[6] http://www.latex-project.org/
[7] https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/foliot
