This edition of the BeOS User's Guide accompanies the BeOS Preview Release. This guide teaches you the basics of working with the BeOS on a BeBox or a Power Macintosh -compatible computer. It also familiarizes you with the Be user interface, and Be applications.

The BeOS User's Guide includes the following chapters:

Chapter 1, "Installing the BeOS Preview Release." How to install the BeOS for BeBox and Power Macintosh, including advanced installation information for partitioning disks.

Chapter 2, "Learning BeOS Basics." Covers all the basics of working with the BeOS user interface.

Chapter 3, "Learning Be Application Basics." The basic techniques for using Be applications: starting apps, opening files, typing and editing text, saving files, quitting, and other application-related tasks.

Chapter 4, "Connecting Your BeOS System to the Internet." Detailed information regarding configuring your BeOS system for networking.

Chapter 5, "Using Internet Services." Covers all there is to know about using Internet services with the BeOS, including the worldwide web, ftp, mail, and remote access.

Chapter 6, "Customizing the BeOS." How to use BeOS application to customize the look and operation of your computer.

Chapter 7, "Working With the Mac OS." Discusses working across platforms. Includes information on mounting hierarchical file system volumes, converting Macintosh TrueType fonts, and transferring files from networked Mac OS hosts to your BeOS.

"App A: Using the BeOS Command Line Shell." Running the BeOS from a command line terminal window.

"App B: BeOS Directory Structure." Gives and overview of the directory (or folder) structure of the BeOS system

In addition to this guide, you can also refer to the following:

• The BeBox Owner's Guide, if you're running the BeOS on a BeBox computer; if you're running the BeOS on a Power Macintosh, its 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, both as a printed booklet or as an electronic document on the Mac OS portion of the BeOS CD-ROM.

• The Be Book, the reference to the Be API, now available in HTML format, in a variety of archive formats on the BeOS CD-ROM.

• The Be World Wide Web site http://www.be.com/, for advice on and support for developing BeOS applications; additions and corrections to this guide and The Be Book; and much more information about Be, Inc., and the Be hardware and software.

• CodeWarrior documents for Be, a collection of Metrowerks documentation for the Be development environment. These are available in HTML format on the BeOS CD-ROM.

• 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/.

• The Release Notes and other last minute documentation found on the BeOS Preview Release CD.