This edition of the BeOS User's Guide accompanies the BeOS (TM) Release 4.5 for Intel, Power Macintosh, and BeBox. It contains:

User Release Notes What's new since Release 4.0.

Hardware Compatibility for Release 4.5.

Chapter 1, BeOS Basics Explains the essentials of the BeOS user interface including booting the system, the BeOS desktop, windows and menus, the Deskbar and Tracker, Replicants, mounting disks, and system queries.

Chapter 2, Be Application Basics Tells you about BeOS applications, and working with files and text.

Chapter 3, Connecting to the Network Provides detailed information about configuring your BeOS system for networking.

Chapter 4, Using Network Services Covers what you need to know about using Internet services with the BeOS, including the World Wide Web, the PoorMan web server, e-mail, and BeMail.

Chapter 5, Customizing the BeOS Explains how to use BeOS preferences to customize the look and operation of your computer.

Appendix A: The Mouse and Keyboard A guide to the mouse, keyboard, and keyboard shortcuts.

Appendix B: The BeBox Guide BeBox-specific user information.

Appendix C: Working with the Mac OS Tools Discusses working across platforms. Includes information on Macintosh TrueType fonts, and transferring files with Netfinder.

Registration and Support How to register your BeOS, and where to go to get help.

You can also refer to the following:

• Your computer's owner's guide. The owner's guides show you how to set up the computer before you install the BeOS. They also include details about the computer's ports and other features.

• The Installation Guide, which accompanies the BeOS CD-ROM as a printed booklet.

• The Be Book, the reference to the Be API, is available in HTML format on the BeOS CD-ROM.
  The same information is also published in the Be Developer's Guide available from O'Reilly (ISBN: 1-56592-287-5).

• The Be World Wide Web site http://www.be.com/, for more information about Be, Inc., and the BeOS.

• Specific information on installation and BeOS usage questions and answers can be found in the support section of the Be web site: http://www.be.com/support/.

Keyboard Conventions Used in This Guide

All keyboard references are based on the standard PC 104-key keyboard:

• Altis the shortcut key
• Ctrl is the "other" key
• The Win (or Windows) key is the option key

For complete information see "The Mouse and Keyboard."

Text Conventions Used in This Guide

Different font styles are used in the text of this guide to make certain features easily identifiable:

• Application and window names: Tracker application, Network preferences, Drive Setup window,

• Individual file and folder names and folder directory paths: /boot/home, screen1.tga

• Window and menu names and items in a menu: File menu, Open... item

• Control labels, such as the text in a button, or the label on a text field: Save, Check mail:

• Keyboard key names: Alt+o

• Glossary term: multihoming, network adaptor card

• Code (or computer voice): gzip file_name

BeOS User's Guide copyright © 1999 Be, Inc. All rights reserved.

BeOS Release 4.5 copyright © 1990-1999 Be, Inc. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted--in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise--without the prior written permission of Be, Inc.

The contents of this book are furnished for informational use only; they are subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a commitment by Be, Inc. Be, Inc. has tried to make the information in this book as accurate and reliable as possible, but assumes no liability for errors or omissions.

Be, Inc., will from time to time revise the software described in this book and reserves the right to make such changes without notification. The software is furnished under license and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license.

Be and BeOS are registered trademarks and BeBox, GeekPort, and BeWare and BeDepot.com are trademarks of Be, Inc. BeDepot.com is a service mark of Be, Inc.

Intel, Intel Inside, Pentium, the Intel logo, the Intel Inside logo, and the Pentium Processor logo are registered trademarks of Intel.

i386, i486, Intel386, Intel486, and the MMX logo are trademarks of Intel.

Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks and Apple Desktop Bus, Mac, MacOS, QuickTime, and TrueType are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Bitstream and 4 in1/TrueDoc (Printing System) are registered trademarks of Bitstream Font Technology Solutions, Bitstream Inc. PowerPC is a trademark of International Business Machines. Metrowerks is a registered trademark and CodeWarrior is a trademark of Metrowerks, Inc. NetPositive is a trademark of Be, Inc., and contains security software licensed from RSA Data Security, Inc. PartitionMagic is a registered trademark of PowerQuest Corp. PowerCenter, PowerTower, and PowerWave are trademarks of Power Computing Corporation. UMAX, the UMAX logo, and SuperMac S900 are trademarks of UMAX Computer Corporation. SuperMac is a registered trademark of Radius Inc., used under license by UMAX Computer Corporation. OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners. ProFont courtesy of Andrew Welch, Stephen C. Gilardi and Carl R.Osterwald.

Be, Incorporated
800 El Camino Real
Suite 300
Menlo Park, CA 94025
http://www.be.com

June 1999