From dde0f2d51ce89db7acba91ae067f1beff0dbfd34 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: marzavec <admin@marzavec.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2018 20:01:44 -0700
Subject: better documentation

---
 README.md | 39 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 30 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

(limited to 'README.md')

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d09ae24..26fc688 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-# Hack.Chat v2
+# Hack.Chat
+
+[https://hack.chat/](https://hack.chat/) is a minimal, distraction-free, account-less, log-less, disappearing chat service that is easily deployable as your own service. The client comes bundled with LaTeX rendering provided by [https://github.com/Khan/KaTeX](https://github.com/Khan/KaTeX).
 
 This is a backwards compatible continuation of the work by Andrew Belt [https://github.com/AndrewBelt/hack.chat](https://github.com/AndrewBelt/hack.chat). The server code has been updated to ES6 along with several new features- including new commands and hot-reload of the commands/protocol.
 
@@ -8,28 +10,38 @@ These instructions will get you a copy of the project up and running on your loc
 
 ### Prerequisites
 
-What things you need to install the software and how to install them
+The following versions are __required__:
 
 ```
     node >= 8.10.0
     npm >= 5.7.1
 ```
 
+An installation guide for you operating system can be found at: [https://nodejs.org/en/download/package-manager/](https://nodejs.org/en/download/package-manager/)
+
 ### Installing
 
-Clone this git and cd into the directory. These steps will get a development env running:
+First you will first need to clone this git, if you are unfamiliar with this processes read [https://help.github.com/articles/cloning-a-repository/](https://help.github.com/articles/cloning-a-repository/), or to clone with git:
+
+```
+git clone https://github.com/hack-chat/main.git
+```
+
+Once cloned, the server will need to be setup. Using your terminal:
 
 ```
+cd main/server/
 npm install
 ```
 
 Or on a Windows machine with Yarn installed:
 
 ```
+cd main/server/
 yarn install
 ```
 
-Then:
+This will install the required packages to run hack.chat. Next it will need to be configured, again in your terminal:
 
 ```
 node main.js
@@ -55,21 +67,31 @@ prompt: tripSalt:  ************
 Config generated! You may now start the server normally.
 ```
 
-You may now begin development or deploy to live system with a node process manager.
+___Note:___ if you change the `websocketPort` option during the config setup then these changes will need to be reflected on line 64 of the [client.js](https://github.com/hack-chat/main/blob/master/client/client.js#L64).
+
+After the config script runs, the process will exit & will need to be relaunched. For a production environment we recommend using [PM2](https://github.com/Unitech/pm2) to start the server:
+
+```
+cd main/server/
+pm2 start main.js --name HackChat
+```
+
+Launch `main/client/index.html`, you may now begin development or deploy to production environment.
 
 ## Deployment
 
-After configuration, push everything except the node_modules folder to the live server and re-run:
+After the initial installation and configuration, push everything except the node_modules folder to the live server and re-run:
 
 ```
 npm install
 ```
 
-You can now run start the server software with a process manager like PM2.
+You can now run start the server software with a process manager like [PM2](https://github.com/Unitech/pm2). The client code will need to be copied into your http server directory. If you plan on using SSL to serve the client; you will need to use a reverse proxy, as TLS is not natively supported by the hack.chat server software (this may change in future releases).
 
 ## Authors
 
 * **Marzavec** - *Initial work* - [https://github.com/marzavec](https://github.com/marzavec)
+* **MinusGix** - *Base updates* - [https://github.com/MinusGix](https://github.com/MinusGix)
 
 See also the list of [contributors](https://github.com/hack-chat/main/graphs/contributors) who participated in this project.
 
@@ -80,5 +102,4 @@ This project is licensed under the WTFPL License - see the [http://www.wtfpl.net
 ## Acknowledgments
 
 * Andrew Belt, [https://github.com/AndrewBelt/hack.chat](https://github.com/AndrewBelt/hack.chat), for original base work
-
-* wwAndrew [https://github.com/sendMeYourGitOrSomething](https://youtu.be/oHg5SJYRHA0), for finding server flaws including attack vectors
+* wwandrew [https://github.com/wwandrew/](https://github.com/wwandrew/), for finding server flaws (including attack vectors) and submitting ~~___incredibly detailed___~~ bug reports
-- 
cgit v1.2.1