Cosima version 0.9 -- readme.txt // please read chapter 9!

Date: 01.05.2010


Contents:

   1. Short description
   2. License
   3. Installation
   4. Input of a license key
   5. Application
   6. Order
   7. Right of cancellation
   8. Known errors and problems of the version 0.9
   9. Delivered files
  10. Special notes by acquisition of preliminary releases


1. Short description:
------------------------------------------------------------
   Cosima is a software program, which automatically mounts
   two individual stereo half-images to a perfect stereo 
   image. It recognizes and corrects automatically color 
   errors, height errors, size errors, rotation errors and
   trapezoidal distortions. It also and tries to correctly
   set the stereo window. 

   Cosima will be developed and is tested for the operation
   systems Microsoft® Windows 98SE, Windows 2000, Windows XP
   Windows Vista and Windows 7 - for OS Windows 98SE
   no function warranties are given.

   Cosima consists of two separate components, a console-
   based kernel program and a graphical user interface (GUI).
   The use of the GUI is not absolutely necessary.

2. License:
------------------------------------------------------------
   Cosima is world-wide copyright protected. Cosima is not
   freeware and presupposes for unrestricted use the
   acquisition of a license key. Further details of the
   license agreement is regulated by the license text (see
   for this the file "license.txt"). With the input of the
   license key the user expressly accepts this license
   agreement. It is referred here expressely to the chapter:
   "Special notes by acquisition of preliminary releases"!

   The installation files of Cosima contain the freeware
   Exiftool, which is licensed unter the GPL
   (http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/). The GPL
   text can be found in the subdirectory .\doc. The source
   code of exiftool will be supplied on request.

3. Installation:
------------------------------------------------------------
   The files belonging to Cosima are made available on the
   internet site www.herbig-3d.de/cosima/releases/ as an
   installation program setup_cosima_<version>.exe or a
   ZIP archive cosima_<version>.zip. An installation of the
   program is not mandatory necessary.


4. Input of a license key:
------------------------------------------------------------
   With the start of the unlicensed version of the program
   it is inquired whether a license key is to be entered.
   a) In case the question is answered with "no", the
      program starts as a not-licensed test version. In this
      version a signature "mounted with cosima" will be
      stamped into the result image, further restrictions
      doesn't exist and all functions can be tested without
      reservation.
   b) In case the question is answered with "yes", the
      username is printed on the screen and the license key
      fitting this username is expected. If a suitable key
      is entered, Cosima starts from now as a licensed full
      version. The license information is put down in a file
      "cosima.lic" in the Windows directory. The file
      cosima.lic is an ASCII file and is readable with each
      simple editor (like e.g. notepad). The username is the
      "Logon User Name" used by the Windows Operating system.

   With the input of a valid license key the license text
   lizenz.txt is accepted.


5. Application:
------------------------------------------------------------
   Cosima will be launched either with the help of the
   graphical user interface cosima_gui.exe or manually
   as a console programm cosima.exe. The different starting
   possibilities of cosima.exe are described on the site
   \doc\startofcosima.html.


6. Ordering:
------------------------------------------------------------
   For the unrestricted use the acquisition of a license key
   is necessary. Orders are to be carried out simplest by
   email to cosima@herbig-3d.de and must contain the
   usernames, for which the license keys should match. After
   that, foreign customers get a paypal money request of an
   amount of 99 Euro for each license (2 license keys for
   2 different usernames). After payment (entrance on the
   account) the license keys will be computed and
   dispatched. A license permits the use for two usernames,
   enclosure thus two license keys.


7. Right of cancellation:
------------------------------------------------------------
   The customer has the unconditioned right of cancelling the
   order up to the time, when the license key has been
   sended. For declaration an order cancellation it is
   sufficient to send an email to cosima@herbig-3d.de.
   So far payed money will be payed back without any reduces.
   Only the bank fees (e.g. PayPal fees) have to be carried
   by the customer. Attention: Because a customer specifically build
   license key cannot given back from it's nature, 
   an order cancelling is not possibly after the moment
   of sending the license keys.


8. Known errors and problems of the version 0.9:
------------------------------------------------------------
   - The perfect function with "all images" cannot be
     assured in principle. If the image possesses too few
     image contents or the two half-images are too
     different, the correction algorithm fails. The author
     is however endeavored to constantly improve the
     program. For unexpected problems with certain images
     it is recommended to send them in. A support in all
     cases cannot be guaranteed however.


9. Delivered program files:
------------------------------------------------------------
   - cancelled

10. Special notes by acquisition of preliminary releases:
------------------------------------------------------------
   All program releases with version numbers smaller than
   1.0 are called preliminary releases. For these program
   releases the author reserves itself fundamental program
   modifications. These program modifications may contain
   in particular:
   - changes of the licencing algorithm
   - changes at the core algorithm for the image correction
     and thus changes at the correction result
   - changes of the program sequence
   - changes of the program output, in form and content
   - changes at the conversion method of image file formats
   - changes at the method for interactive setting of the
     stereo window
   - changes of the parameter names and changes of the
     allocations of certain detail functions to certain
     parameters and their values.

   If changes at the licencing algorithm should be
   necessary, all registered users receive new valid
   license-keys free of charge.

   Although program modifications usually are to cause
   function extensions and function improvements, also a
   degradation cannot be excluded with a certain image.
   This is not recognized expressly as reason for a contract
   resignation.
