The following has been excerpted from:
THE OFFICIAL comp.sys.amiga.introduction FAQ
(The complete FAQ is available here.)
The Basics
- What are screens?
- What is this multitasking stuff all about?
- But I thought Windows95 invented multitasking?
The Hardware
- What models of Amigas are there?
- Can I get 24-bit graphics displays on my Amiga?
Basic Concepts
- What are all these files ending in ".library"?
Using the Shell
- How do I open a Shell?
- General Information.
Upgrades
- Can I use an Iomega Zip or SyQuest EZ drive on my Amiga?
- What kind of hard drives work with the built-in controller in the A1200?
- My accelerator can take 72-pin SIMMs. What kind do I need?
- What about parity & EDO?
Third-Party Software
- What is Directory Opus?
- What is Executive?
- What is ixemul.library?
- What is ADE?
The Internet
- What kind of modems will work with the Amiga?
- How fast can I make the serial port go?
- What is Aminet?
- How is Aminet organized?
- Can I run Netscape Navigator?
- Netscape is evil. I want an Amiga browser.
Dealing With Other Platforms
- Can I read Amiga disks on a PC?
- Can my Amiga read PC disks?
- Can the Amiga read Macintosh disks?
- What is Shapeshifter?
Glossary
- AmigaDOS -
- The Amiga's disk-based command set, accessible
via the CLI or Shell.
- ARexx -
- A script-based programming language for communication
within programs and/or the CLI or Shell.
- Boing! -
- An Amiga demo designed to run on the A1000 in 1985.
The Boing! ball is a red and white checkerboard sphere
that bounces around the screen and casts a shadow.
- CLI -
- AmigaDOS Command Line Interface for accessing DOS.
- IFF -
- Interchange File Format for storing pictures and sounds.
- Library -
- A collection of compiled routines that can be
accessed by more than one application.
- Locale -
- The Amiga's multi-lingual environment.
- Priority -
- A value assigned to a task to determine how frequently
it may have access to the CPU or devices.
- RAD -
- A fixed size RAM disk that survives a warm reboot.
- RTG -
- Retargetable Graphics, allowing any graphics board to
have direct support by the operating system.
- Screen -
- A rectangular display area with an independent palette
and an independent resolution.
- Script -
- List of commands in a text file, such as for AmigaDOS,
which can be executed in order.
- Shared Library -
- Set of routines that may be accessed by many
executable programs simultaneously.
- Shell -
- Enhanced CLI for accessing DOS commands.
- Sprite -
- A graphics object that moves freely between screens.
- Startup-sequence -
- An AmigaDOS script that is executed when
the Amiga boots. This script sets up the hardware and other functions of the system.
- Video Slot -
- An expansion slot that permits access to video devices
and Zorro slots simultaneously.
- Zorro Slot -
- An expansion slot in 16-bit or 32-bit wide data paths
for adding hardware to the Amiga.
Copyright 1996,97,98,99 William Near, wnear@cecomet.net
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