One thing that may need to be mentioned:
AROS' (as the Amiga's) window/application menus are accessed with the right mouse button, and are (by default) located at the top of the screen (not the application window)! (this can be changed however, to make menus pop up at mousepointer location)
DISCLAIMER: all information is provided "as-is", with no guarantee for correctness, and no responsibility taken for damages to soft- and/or hardware or anything else!)
TOC:
- How to obtain and install AROS
- How to connect AROS to the internet
- How to browse the internet (WWW) and/or access other computers on a network with AROS
- How to send e-mail with AROS
- How to create office documents with AROS
- How to listen to music with AROS
- How to watch a movie with AROS
- How to exchange documents with other computer systems
- How to obtain more information for advanced usage, more applications, development, ...
- How to switch off AROS
1. How to obtain and install AROS
There are several places to obtain AROS from, in several flavours.
First, decide if you want to run AROS "hosted" inside your existing operating system, or if you want to boot AROS natively.
The "hosted" option basically means AROS resides in a directory on your harddisc, has access to that directory (using your operating system's filesystem), and runs inside a window on your existing desktop. AROS hosted runs considerably slower than native, but is good for a quick look at everything without rebooting.
The native option means you boot and run AROS from a DVD/CDROM (without touching your harddisc), with the further option of installing it to your harddisc (erasing/overwriting what's installed, or using free space on your harddisc) for later rebooting without DVD/CDROM.
1.1. AROS hosted
- go to http://aros.org -> Download
- scroll down the page to section "Nightly builds" -> binaries
- AROS hosted versions are identified by the suffix "-system". Choose a version suitable for your OS - e.g. "android-arm-system" if you run Android on an ARM-processor-equipped machine, or "mingw32-i386-system" if you run Microsoft Windows on an Intel compatible PC. Scroll through the list to see for which OSs hosted versions of AROS are available.
- click the leftmost "Download" link in the table row you located your hosted version in ("Download" will most likely be located in the 2nd column of that row)
- unpack downloaded file to where you'd like to put AROS directory
- open that directory, go to "AROS/", then "boot/" subdirectory, and run "aros-base"
You're done. :-)
1.2. AROS native
Most likely, the computer you want to use with AROS is an Intel compatible one (32 or 64 bit) (a "PC", not a "Mac" or "Apple" or "Amiga"), right?
Then you - currently - have three basic options (running on both 32 and 64 bit machines - see below:
1.2.1. get a "nightly build" of AROS, including latest developments, but just a limited set of additional software (note: this file comes zip compressed):
- go to http://aros.org -> Download
- scroll down the page to section "Nightly builds" -> binaries
- in the table, locate the row "pc-i386-boot-iso"
- and click the leftmost "Download" link in that row, and save file to harddisc
- unpack file, and enter resulting directory
- locate CD-ROM image (.iso), and burn to CD
1.2.2. get "icaros desktop", a preconfigured distribution of AROS, containing lots of additional software (note: this file comes 7z compressed):
- go to http://www.icarosdesktop.org/ -> Downloads
- below the yellow "PLEASE DONATE" banner, choose either "icaros desktop live" for a big DVD distribution with lots of software, or "icaros desktop light" for a smaller CD-ROM version, and click the download link accordingly, and save file to harddisc
- unpack file, and enter resulting directory
- locate DVD/CD-ROM image (.iso), and burn to DVD/CD
1.2.3. get "AROS Broadway", another preconfigured distribution of AROS, containing lots of additional software (note: this files comes 7z compressed):
- go to http://www.aros-broadway.de/ -> DOWNLOAD THE LATEST VERSION HERE!
- scroll down the page to locate a download-link (the exact location and/or label of that link may change), click, and save file to harddisc
- unpack file, and enter resulting directory
- locate CD-ROM image (.iso), and burn to CD
If you don't use a Intel compatible computer, e. g. an Amiga, or you want to run a 64 bit Intel compatible (optimized) version of AROS:
- go to http://aros.org -> Download
- scroll down the page to section "Nightly builds" -> binaries
- AROS bootable native versions are identified by the suffix "-boot"/"-bootiso"/"-boot-iso". Choose a version suitable for your hardware - e.g. "pc-x86_64-boot-iso" if you have an Intel compatible 64-bit-processor-equipped machine, or "efika-chrp-ppc-boot-iso" if you have the neat EFIKA PPC board. Scroll through the list to see which hardware platforms are supported. For Amiga computers you need "amiga-m68k-boot" (a floppy image to boot from), and "amiga-m68k-bootiso" (AROS full core system).
- click the leftmost "Download" link in the table row you located your version in ("Download" will most likely be located in the 2nd column of that row), and save file to disc
- unpack file, and enter resulting directory
- (Amiga: create boot floppy "from amiga-m68k-boot")
- locate CD-ROM image (.iso), and burn to CD
Next, insert DVD/CD-ROM (Amiga: insert boot floppy, too), and reboot your machine.
Finally, if you want to install AROS to your harddisc, for booting without DVD/CD-ROM and permanent usage, double-click the icon "InstallAROS". The installer program will guide you through.
2. How to connect AROS to the internet or a local network
You may connect directly to the internet using mobile broadband devices, or connect via a router using a PCI or USB or your onboard ethernet device. ADSL modems are currently not supported.
In any case, to set up networking doubleclick the AROS system icon (AROS harddisc or DVD/CD-ROM icon on desktop, whatever applies), then "Prefs" folder, then "Network" icon. Enter proper setting, and click "Save" or "Use".
To test your network connection open a shell (desktop menu -> Wanderer -> Shell) and try "ping" command (e.g. "ping 192.168.0.153" or whatever network IP address you have at hand).
[more TBD]
3. How to browse the internet (WWW) and/or access other computers on a network with AROS
WWW:
The current most advanced webbrowser for AROS is OWB (Orygin Web Browser).
In case it's not supplied with AROS (e.g. when using a nightly build) go to http://owb.mikendezign.com and download there. Transfer to AROS via network (e.g. ftp) or using an USB stick.
AROS' main software archive, http://archives.aros-exec.org, sometimes has OWB binaries, you may check there, using the searchbox (type in "OWB"). (Currently, there's only a version compiled for PPC hardware there.)
ftp:
MarranoFTP client is included in AROS nightly build's AROS:Extras/Networking/Apps folder.
rdesktop and VNC:
Famous AROS developer Yannick Erb has ported rdesktop to AROS, you can find it at http://www.hd-zone.com -> Remote Desktop
More of Yannick's ports and original work can be found at his own website http://www.dusabledanslherbe.eu/AROSPage, including ArosVNC client and server programs.
[more TBD]
4. How to send e-mail with AROS
There are several e-mail clients available. Examples are SimpleMail, and YAM.
An e-mail client may be included in your AROS distro.
If not, browse or search AROS' main software archive at http://archives.aros-exec.org.
[more TBD]
5. How to create office documents with AROS
[more TBD]
6. How to listen to music with AROS
Use AMC, mplayer or AROSAmp.
A music player may be included in your AROS distro.
If not, browse or search AROS' main software archive at http://archives.aros-exec.org.
[more TBD]
7. How to watch a movie with AROS
Use mplayer.
It may be included in your AROS distro.
If not, browse or search AROS' main software archive at http://archives.aros-exec.org.
[more TBD]
8. How to exchange documents with other computer systems
Easy file transfer can be done using a USB storage device (e. g. USB stick).
AROS can handle Amiga/AROS SFS filesystem and Microsoft Windows/DOS FAT filesystems.
You may also transfer files via network, see 3.
AROS currently has applications that can handle these file formats:
These applications may be included in your AROS distro.
[more TBD]
If not, browse or search AROS' main software archive at http://archives.aros-exec.org.
[more TBD]
9. How to obtain more information for advanced usage, more applications, development, ...
See the advanced AROS usage page.
10. How to switch off AROS
AROS native: Hit your machine's power button. That's all. :-)
AROS hosted: Close AROS' window. That's all. :-)
(Of course make sure you've saved your work beforehand, and disc activity has finished.)
You may also choose "Quit" from Wanderer's (AROS desktop's) menu, which offers shutting down, rebooting, suspending your computer.
DISCLAIMER: all information is provided "as-is", with no guarantee for correctness, and no responsibility taken for damages to soft- and/or hardware or anything else!)
