Chapter 1 - Foreword


	Introduction  to  ConIX,  how  to  use	this  manual,	and   some
	information regarding your version of ConIX.


				   - CONTENTS -
	__________________________________________________________________


	  1.  Foreword...............................................  1-1

	    1.1	 The Implementation..................................  1-1

	    1.2	 About the Manual....................................  1-2

	      1.2.1  Learning How To Use ConIX.......................  1-2

	    1.3	 The Distribution Files..............................  1-3





































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	ConIX Operating	System					  Foreword

	1.  Foreword

	In recent years, CP/M(tm) has become the industry standard
	Operating System for most 8080,	8085 and Z80-based microcomputer
	systems.  CP/M has been	around since the mid to	late seventies,	at
	the time that disk systems were	first being developed for micros.
	The bulk of the	original design	is still found in version 2.2
	which is being used to date.

	Since the time CP/M was	created, new concepts in operating system
	technology have	been developed.	 Unfortunately,	CP/M, for the most
	part, represents the older ``bare essentials'' style of	operating
	systems.  Most programmers shy away at the thought of replacing
	it, since there	is probably no significant change that can be made
	without	losing compatibility with existing software.  There have
	been a few attempts, but nobody	can jar	the foot-hold CP/M has
	taken on the microcomputer industry.

	You may	have heard about UNIX(tm), the revolutionary new Operating
	System developed by AT&T Bell Labs for many large-scale
	minicomputers.	UNIX represents	the latest innovation in operating
	system software	and is rapidly growing in popularity.  Shell, the
	program	which interfaces UNIX to the user, is by far one of its
	strongest points.  It would be great if	UNIX and Shell could run
	on an 8-bit micro, but they can't, because of inherent limitations
	in hardware speed and scope.

	ConIX(tm) is an	Operating System designed specifically for CP/M
	microcomputers and has been modeled, in	part, after the	innovative
	software technology of the UNIX	shell.	Surprisingly, ConIX
	implements many	of its most popular features.  Surprising, because
	most people are	content	in the belief that their micro can't do
	the kinds of things that bigger	and more expensive systems can.
	Well, to some extent, we will be able to prove otherwise.


	1.1  The Implementation

	Maintaining compatibility with existing	software was of	primary
	importance during the many design stages of ConIX.  Great care was
	taken in implementing all the ConIX features around the	existing
	architecture.  It is for this reason that programs and data used
	with CP/M-80 are upward	compatible with	ConIX, and can be utilized
	without	modification.

	One reason for the high	degree of compatibility	is that	ConIX does
	not actually replace the CP/M BDOS, but	merely controls	it.  We
	can understand ConIX as	using CP/M in much the same way	that CP/M
	uses its BIOS.	Under ConIX, all the system dependent operations
	are left for CP/M and the BIOS to perform.  These functions, which
	are transparent	to the user, include the disk I/O operations,
	console	I/O, etc.  ConIX intercepts requests for such operations
	from the running program and processes them internally before
	passing	them along to CP/M.




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	Foreword				    ConIX Operating System

	ConIX itself acts as a replacement for the Console Command
	Processor (CCP), the part of CP/M that accepts and processes user
	commands.  The CCP contains some built-in functions such as
	DIRectory, ERAse, and REName, as well as the ability to	execute
	programs stored	on disk.  ConIX	also provides all of the above
	``standard'' operations, as well as many, many more.

	We call	ConIX an Operating System because it is	in total control
	of all system hardware and software, and all programs must pass
	through	it when	they are running.   ConIX also offers access to
	internal data and routines in the form of added	System Calls,
	which programs can use to take advantage of special built-in
	features.  ConIX represents a new way of life for your CP/M-based
	computer, providing it with more power and flexibility than you've
	ever imagined!


	1.2  About the Manual

	This is	an Instructional Manual	which will explain the basics of
	ConIX to the new user.	Some working knowledge of CP/M will be
	assumed.  If you do not	have a good background in CP/M,	we suggest
	you read one of	the many books that have been published	as
	introductory courses.

	Any new	concepts presented in this manual will,	generally, be
	explained with little or no prior programming knowledge	assumed.
	This may be a bit slow for the experienced programmer, but we
	highly recommend that even he take the time to read the	contents
	thoroughly.

	Examples are presented with frequency throughout this manual.
	Some are self-explanatory, but others may not be as trivial.  We,
	therefore, suggest you try them	out as you read	along to see,
	first hand, how	they work.  If you work	with the manual	and your
	computer, you are more likely to remember what you have	read and
	with a much better understanding.


	1.2.1  Learning	How To Use ConIX

	ConIX is a program with	many features and, as tradition	dictates,
	the more features, the more difficult it is to learn.  However,
	since most of the old CP/M environment is supported, there is a
	minimal	amount that you	must learn at the very beginning.  You can
	teach yourself how to use ConIX	at your	own pace, and explore
	different areas	and functions as the needs to use them arise.

	If you're going	to take	the popular approach to	manuals, namely
	``read it as you need it'', then there are a few sections you
	really should learn right away.	 They are Chapter 2 - Getting
	Started, Chapter 3 - The Command Line, and Chapter 4 - Memory
	Management.  These sections will lay the basic groundwork for new
	ConIX users.




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	ConIX Operating	System					  Foreword

	1.3  The Distribution Files

	The distribution files supplied	with the ConIX Shareware package
	contain	various	programs and files associated with its
	installation and usage.	 These files are to be stored in user area
	0.

	The file README.DOC contains a listing and short description of
	each file provided.  Any additions or revisions	that were made to
	the ConIX Distribution after the printing of this manual will be
	reported in the	file ERRATA.DOC.  Please examine this file, if
	provided, and note the chapters	and sections which contain the
	changes.  In addition, any other .DOC files supplied on	disk may
	contain	important information regarding	your system, and should	be
	examined carefully.











































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