Writing Samples

BeOS Users Group

Alternate operating systems have been popping up left and right lately, battling to attract 'niche users', promising to deliver the next generation of sophistication and performance for their particular needs. With new trails being 'blazed' by operating systems like Linux and the BeOS, learning a budding OS becomes the challenge for users lured by the promised benefits of using it.

For example, Linux has found success by catering to the networking, security, Web server, command-line-junky and DOS-converts market. Software developers fascinated by Linux's open-source philosophy, have flocked to it in the interests of gleaning insight from its stable and flexible operating properties. For this reason, the Kingston Linux Users Group has popped up to offer a network of help and support for new and seasoned users.

At the other end of the speed spectrum, Be Inc. has been heartily endorsing the formation of user groups for their OS wherever they might pop up, for the very same reasons. Here in Kingston, a BeOS users group has started up, with the aim of making the BeOS more accessible and generating interest in it as a secondary operating system.

The Kingston BeOS Users Group is truly getting in at the ground floor. Formal meetings are not being held yet but the small list of users that belong to the group at present have been bantering back and forth by e-mail. To join the fray, head over to http://www.rogue.org/jaeson/beos, for information on contacting the group.

With more and more developers coming aboard all the time, there is a real need for beta testers for the new BeOS. The good folks at Be Inc. have supplied the local group with copies of the OS to try, and have made every effort to put us in contact with developers who are demo'ing their products for the OS. The arrangement gives BeOS enthusiasts the chance to be on the edge of the fledgling OS's software development and to acquire inexpensive software. The local Kingston users group becomes a great place to get betaware information or to find out who needs help in its evaluation.

From the betaware that I have personally tested through the group, I have detected some really great applications and some that are truly works-in-progress.

Not really. Be release 4 ships with a copy of Partition Magic that walks you through creating Be its own space to 'live' in on your system. I am not a hard-core techie and I found the setup to be very easy, even for me! Following the instructions, you can get Be singing and dancing on your home system in about 45 minutes. It's nice if you have about 2 GB free for your new Be partition.

Along with the copies of the operating system that Be sent us (and the groovy T-shirts), we also received a demo video that takes you through Be Inc. and their products. It demonstrates how Be uses CPU loads while performing traditionally CPU-intensive tasks. Be ships with a handy dandy CPU load meter so you can watch this parameter as well. If you live in the Kingston area and would like to view the video, please write me at jaeson@kingston.net and we can arrange it for you.

While the BeOS is a very new environment, it is gaining great support as an operating system with over 10,000 registered developers working on applications for it at present. If you are into recording, digital imaging or multimedia of any kind, please contact the Kingston Be Users Group for information on Be. We'll add you to our mailing list and help you take your first steps to using this powerful operating environment.