New top-level README file.

* README: New file containing basic information on the project along
with pointers to additional documentation.

diff --git a/README b/README
new file mode 100644 (file)
index 0000000..0d2afcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+============= 
+ about mudpy
+============= 
+
+:Copyright: Copyright (c) 2004-2010 Jeremy Stanley <fungi@yuggoth.org>.
+   Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software is granted
+   under terms provided in the LICENSE file distributed with this software.
+
+The mudpy project aims to create a simple, generic, cross-platform,
+freely-redistributable MUD core engine which can be easily understood and
+extended. It is written in pure Python (currently compatible with 2.5 and later
+2.x versions) and has no prerequisite dependencies beyond Python and its
+built-in modules. All configuration and data are stored in
+consistently-formatted plain text files for ease of administration. The core
+engine is unicode-clean internally and supports UTF-8 encoding for input and
+output of extended text characters.
+
+The mudpy program and sample content are released under a free and open
+license, and any bug reports, criticisms, ideas, patches, content submissions
+or other offers of collaboration are wholeheartedly welcome. (See our contact
+page for more information.)