FMS Quick Start Guide
Information contained in this document pertains to FMS release 0.3.40, and may or may not be applicable to older or newer releases.
Overview
Installation
Configuration
Identities
Announcing Your Identity
Posting Messages
Assigning Trust
Overview
FMS allows Freenet users to anonymously and securely send text messages in a spam resilient environment. Messages inserted in Freenet are signed by the author, ensuring the validity of the message and preventing any tampering. FMS mitigates spam by allowing each identity to rate other users of the system and allowing that identity to share those ratings with others. Messages posted with FMS may be read via a web interface in a forum like fashion, or through a properly configured newsreader in a usenet like fashion. FMS provides a web interface for configuration and administration purposes.
Installation
FMS may be installed by downloading the source and compiling a binary, or downloading a binary that has already been compiled for your system from the FMS Freesite. Only files distributed directly from the FMS Freesite are official, and any other distribution avenue should be thoroughly examined before trusting the files that are available, especially for precompiled binaries. Instructions for compiling can be found in the readme.txt file in the FMS source directory.
Windows users may download the precompiled binary from the FMS Freesite. Unzip this file into any directory on your computer, and make sure to keep the subdirectories intact when unzipping. Depending on your computer's configuration, you may need to also download the Windows Runtime files from the FMS Freesite as well. Unzip this file into the same directory that you unzipped FMS into. This will create a Microsoft.VC80.CRT directory with several DLLs under the FMS directory.
Linux users may also download the precompiled binary from the FMS Freesite. Linux users will need the libpoco6 package installed in order to run the provided binary. Unzip the binary archive into a directory of your choice, making sure to keep the subdirectories intact.
Users of other platforms will have to either compile FMS, or find a precompiled binary elsewhere. As above, please be sure the source of any binary you download is trustworthy.
After you have either compiled the source or unzipped one of the binary distributions, you may run FMS via the standard means on your system, usually double clicking the binary, or typing the binary name into a command prompt. This will run FMS in the foreground, which may not always be desireable. You may also run FMS in the background by making it a service or daemon. See the readme.txt for instructions on how to run FMS in the background. FMS performs best when left running as long as possible, preferably all the time, so running as a service or daemon is preferred.
Configuration
After starting FMS, you may open your browser and go to http://localhost:8080. This is the web interface of FMS, where you may administer your FMS installation. Click on the Options link in the navigation bar to see a list of options available. You may view and change advanced options by clicking the advanced link near the top of the options page.
If you are running FMS on the same computer you are running Freenet, the default options should work for you. If FMS isn't running on the same computer as Freenet, or you need to change a port, this is the place to do so. Each option has a description that explains what it is used for. For instance, if you need to change the address of your Freenet node, find FCPHost in the options, and change the setting to the correct address of your Freenet node. After you are done changing options, you must save the changes by clicking the save button at the bottom of the options page. Please keep in mind that most changes to options require FMS to be restarted to take affect.
Identities
In order to start posting messages you must first create an identity. Each identity is given a public/private keypair in Freenet where only they are able to post but everyone is allowed to read. This is what prevents spoofing and ensures messages have not been tampered with. To create an identity, go to the Create Identity link on the FMS web interface. Type a name into the box and click on the create button.
You may view your identities by going to the Local Identities link. There are a few identity specific options here that you can change. The Single Use drop down is used if you want to create a throw away identity. Single use identities will automatically be deleted 5 days after creation. Publishing a trust list will let other identities see what trust ratings you have assigned. It is better to leave this off until you get comfortable with using FMS first. Publishing a board list will publish a list of boards you have recently posted to. Publishing a Freesite will insert a Freesite into Freenet every day that contains your last 10 posts and