Internet Services
PPP
Allows
connections to Internet Service Providers using the standard
point-to-point protocol.
TCP/IP-native
BeOS speaks the Internet's language and
is fully Internet-compatible and compliant right out of the box.
Internet tools
Comes with built-in Web server, Web
browser, POP3 e-mail client, ftp client, ftp server, telnet client,
and telnet server, all of which are removable or replaceable by
third-party software.
Media Services
Formats
Allows
enabled applications to read and write to files in standard data
formats, including QuickTime, AVI, MPEG-1, JPEG, TIFF, BMP, Targa,
PNG, PPM, WAV, AIFF, and AU. Supports plug-ins for other formats.
Microsecond resolution
Allows consistent, accurate,
reliable playback and recording of digital media that is tracked
down to 1/1,000,000 sec. Result: immediate responsiveness.
Graphics System
Anti-aliased
fonts
Anti-aliased outline fonts are standard, providing
smooth text onscreen, as well as on paper.
OpenGL
Provides industry-standard, high-resolution 3D
graphics and rendering.
Direct-access graphics
Allows your video card to draw
images directly from your computer's memory. You'll see fast video
and high frame rates in animated sequences.
Unicode fonts support
Allows display of languages with
complex characters, such as Japanese, Russian, or Hebrew.
File System
64-bit file
system
Allows BeOS to manage disks and files millions of
gigabytes in size.
Journaling
Tracks all file system changes dynamically,
speeding recovery from conditions such as power losses, and
providing quick boot-up in under 20 seconds. Protects your hard disk
so power failures won't corrupt it.
File system support
Plug-in-based support allows
read/write access to files created under systems such as HFS (Mac
OS), FAT16, FAT32, vFAT, and ISO-9660. Third-party support is
available for ext2, NTFS, and NFS.
Kernel Services
Symmetric
multiprocessing
Supports 1, 2, 4, or 8 processors,
automatically, without reconfiguration. Doubles your application
speed each time you double the number of processors.
Pervasive multithreading
Designed to be threaded at
every level of the OS to make the most of your CPU's power. Allows
the system to respond to user input even when busy with other tasks.
Virtual memory
Extends memory by swapping less-used
code to disk.
Protected memory
Runs each application in its own,
isolated memory space. If an application crashes, other loaded
applications and the operating system are undisturbed.
Low-latency kernel services
250-microsecond
(250/1,000,000 sec.) latency for scheduling and timer events ensures
accuracy and high system responsiveness.
Dynamic drivers
Drivers load and unload dynamically as
needed, reducing demands on kernel memory.
Additional Features
Hardware
support
Extensive support for a wide and growing variety of
graphics, sound, network and SCSI cards, as well as USB, video
capture cards, and digital cameras. Complete list of supported
hardware at http://www.be.com/products/beosreadylist.html.
Applications included
Web browser, e-mail client, media
player, TV viewer, contact manager, graphical archive extractor
(expander), utilities, translators, screensaver, 3D audio mixer and
other application demos, integrated development environment with
source-level debugger.
Software Valet
Easily manages downloaded software, from
installation to updating.
UNIX/POSIX compatibility
Fully functional POSIX layer
allows a wide range of POSIX applications to compile and run on
BeOS. Also included is a powerful, UNIX-style shell and windowed
terminal program.