======Installation======

Installation is as simple as extracting the files from a zip file to a folder on your hard-disk. The zip file is available on our main website https://gitwinch.com or if you are using a private installation, ask the owner/manager of the office to supply you the zip file.

Do NOT install //Git Winch// on a network drive, or a drive that has less than 200 Mb free space. This folder is called the //application folder// in this documentation and elsewhere.

**CRITICAL**: The folder that it is installed into should be //writable//!  

====Pre-requisites====

//Git Winch// works ONLY on Windows. So the entire office that uses //Git Winch// must be using Windows. (We may release Linux and Mac versions later, if there is serious demand) 

**//Chrome (or a browser similar to Chrome) is needed!//**\\
Your computer MUST have //Chrome// browser installed at its default location in the computer. You can also use browser such as //Brave, Edge and Chromium// too. But those would need the //gitwinch.ini// file to be changed ...//explained later as you read below//.

The first time you start //Git Winch// it will start Chrome browser in //app// mode. That startup will result in over 100Mb (approx) of files needed by Chrome in a sub-folder inside the application folder. That is a normal activity and so you don't have to get worried.

**//Git is needed!//**\\
You also need to install //Git// To check if you have that utility installed, please open a command-line window (console window or "cmd" window) and just give this command: 

//git --version//

If you see the version number in the output, that means Git has been installed. If not, you should download Git installer and install it https://git-scm.com/downloads/win and do the above check again.

**//Curl is needed!//**\\
You should also check if the //curl// command is working globally on your computer. Again, you should open a cmd window and give this command:
 
//curl --version//

If you do not get any output or if it says "not recognized as an internal or external command" that means your Windows installation is probably not compatible. You should upgrade Windows. But you can also try installing Curl globally from the installer available from https://curl.se/windows/

====First steps====
You MUST set a suitable organization/division code for yourself. This is a simple text written in a text file named //"orgname.txt"// which must be kept in the same folder where you installed //Git Winch.// Read more about this [[org?do=export_xhtml|here.]]
 
There is a special file named //gitwinch.ini// in the application folder. It is used to finely configure your own //Git Winch// as per your own office requirements. Use a text editor such as Notepad, Notepad++, VSCode, etc to edit it. How to set various configuration values in this ini file is explained [[inifile?do=export_xhtml|here]].

There are several files after installation that you should definitely NOT delete or touch. However there are a few that can be configured specifically for your office. This is explained [[configuration?do=export_xhtml|here]] which you can read later if you are in a hurry now. 

====Redistribution====

Once you configure //Git Winch// specifically for your office, and the file "orgname.txt" is also written for your office; zip up the application folder and distribute that to your own office workers. The rest of your office then would have an easier time setting it up: They would mostly need to just extract the zip file into a new folder.

And of course; everyone in the office, including you, should register. Explained next.

====Registration=====

To use //Git Winch// you not only need to install the software, but you should //also register.// And even the rest of your office who uses //Git Winch// should ALSO individually register. 

Note that //Git Winch// can be privately hosted too. So you need to check where you have to register. If you got the zip file from our website; then the registration is done from a link given on our main website for //Git Winch// namely; https://gitwinch.com 

If you are running a privately hosted version of //Git Winch// you would need to ask the person who gave you the zip file (or you could look inside the //gitwinch.ini// file and read the value given for entry named: //"SystemAPIurl"// and go to the website mentioned there)

====Payments====

You can register at our website https://gitwinch.com free of cost. We load some amount of credits with every new account. You can then //pay-as-you-go// as you and your office continue to use. The advantage of such a system is that you can always pause the usage of //Git Winch// For example; Say you are on a holiday, and nothing is happening at your office, so obviously no credits would get consumed. 

None of the registrations expire. //(Of course, you can always exercise your right to be forgotten, and we'll delete all your data if you email us at admin@gitwinch.com)//

====Lifetime purchase====

In some seminars/webinars/private-demos we sell lifetime, private //Git Winch// instances. In such a case, your account would be loaded with 5 billion credits ... which is plenty for you and your people to use. Though the system will continue to have the capability to accept payments //(if you really want to give us a gift, for example :-))// but normally in such private installations, you need not make any payments as the credits would be sufficient. 

The person who purchased the private installation can also transfer some of his/her billions of credits to those who work at his/her office.
 

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