README: split out history section

Author: bk138

HISTORY.md

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+This is the original author Dscho's account on the project's initial history.
+If you want to know what happened afterwards, have a look at [NEWS](NEWS.md).
+
+History
+=======
+
+LibVNCServer is based on Tridia VNC and OSXvnc, which in turn are based on
+the original code from ORL/AT&T.
+
+When I began hacking with computers, my first interest was speed. So, when I
+got around assembler, I programmed the floppy to do much of the work, because
+its clock rate was higher than that of my C64. This was my first experience
+with client/server techniques.
+
+When I came around Xwindows (much later), I was at once intrigued by the
+elegance of such connectedness between the different computers. I used it
+a lot - not the least priority lay on games. However, when I tried it over
+modem from home, it was no longer that much fun.
+
+When I started working with ASP (Application Service Provider) programs, I
+tumbled across Tarantella and Citrix. Being a security fanatic, the idea of
+running a server on windows didn't appeal to me, so Citrix went down the
+basket. However, Tarantella has its own problems (security as well as the
+high price). But at the same time somebody told me about this "great little
+administrator's tool" named VNC. Being used to windows programs' sizes, the
+surprise was reciprocal inverse to the size of VNC!
+
+At the same time, the program "rdesktop" (a native Linux client for the
+Terminal Services of Windows servers) came to my attention. There where even
+works under way to make a protocol converter "rdp2vnc" out of this. However,
+my primary goal was a slow connection and rdp2vnc could only speak RRE
+encoding, which is not that funny with just 5kB/s. Tim Edmonds, the original
+author of rdp2vnc, suggested that I adapt it to Hextile Encoding, which is
+better. I first tried that, but had no success at all (crunchy pictures).
+
+Also, I liked the idea of an HTTP server included and possibly other
+encodings like the Tight Encodings from Const Kaplinsky. So I started looking
+for libraries implementing a VNC server where I could steal what I can't make.
+I found some programs based on the demo server from AT&T, which was also the
+basis for rdp2vnc (can only speak Raw and RRE encoding). There were some
+rumors that GGI has a VNC backend, but I didn't find any code, so probably
+there wasn't a working version anyway.
+
+All of a sudden, everything changed: I read on freshmeat that "OSXvnc" was
+released. I looked at the code and it was not much of a problem to work out
+a simple server - using every functionality there is in Xvnc. It became clear
+to me that I *had* to build a library out of it, so everybody can use it.
+Every change, every new feature can propagate to every user of it.
+
+It also makes everything easier:
+ You don't care about the cursor, once set (or use the standard cursor).
+You don't care about those sockets. You don't care about encodings.
+You just change your frame buffer and inform the library about it. Every once
+in a while you call rfbProcessEvents and that's it.

README.md

@@ -360,57 +360,7 @@ The server program will tell you a URL to point your web browser to. There,
 you can click on the noVNC-encrypted-connection-button to connect using the
 bundled noVNC viewer using an encrypted Websockets connection.
 
-History
-=======
 
-LibVNCServer is based on Tridia VNC and OSXvnc, which in turn are based on
-the original code from ORL/AT&T.
-
-When I began hacking with computers, my first interest was speed. So, when I
-got around assembler, I programmed the floppy to do much of the work, because
-its clock rate was higher than that of my C64. This was my first experience
-with client/server techniques.
-
-When I came around Xwindows (much later), I was at once intrigued by the
-elegance of such connectedness between the different computers. I used it
-a lot - not the least priority lay on games. However, when I tried it over
-modem from home, it was no longer that much fun.
-
-When I started working with ASP (Application Service Provider) programs, I
-tumbled across Tarantella and Citrix. Being a security fanatic, the idea of
-running a server on windows didn't appeal to me, so Citrix went down the
-basket. However, Tarantella has its own problems (security as well as the
-high price). But at the same time somebody told me about this "great little
-administrator's tool" named VNC. Being used to windows programs' sizes, the
-surprise was reciprocal inverse to the size of VNC!
-
-At the same time, the program "rdesktop" (a native Linux client for the
-Terminal Services of Windows servers) came to my attention. There where even
-works under way to make a protocol converter "rdp2vnc" out of this. However,
-my primary goal was a slow connection and rdp2vnc could only speak RRE
-encoding, which is not that funny with just 5kB/s. Tim Edmonds, the original
-author of rdp2vnc, suggested that I adapt it to Hextile Encoding, which is
-better. I first tried that, but had no success at all (crunchy pictures).
-
-Also, I liked the idea of an HTTP server included and possibly other
-encodings like the Tight Encodings from Const Kaplinsky. So I started looking
-for libraries implementing a VNC server where I could steal what I can't make.
-I found some programs based on the demo server from AT&T, which was also the
-basis for rdp2vnc (can only speak Raw and RRE encoding). There were some
-rumors that GGI has a VNC backend, but I didn't find any code, so probably
-there wasn't a working version anyway.
-
-All of a sudden, everything changed: I read on freshmeat that "OSXvnc" was
-released. I looked at the code and it was not much of a problem to work out
-a simple server - using every functionality there is in Xvnc. It became clear
-to me that I *had* to build a library out of it, so everybody can use it.
-Every change, every new feature can propagate to every user of it.
-
-It also makes everything easier:
- You don't care about the cursor, once set (or use the standard cursor).
-You don't care about those sockets. You don't care about encodings.
-You just change your frame buffer and inform the library about it. Every once
-in a while you call rfbProcessEvents and that's it.
 
 Basics
 ======