The Be operating system is a great platform just waiting for applications. This beginner programming guide gives C++ programmers their start to developing those applications. A traditional guide to application development, this book starts with the most basic concepts and leaves you with a firm foundation for further research. It begins with typical "Hello, world" programs and gradually adds elements of the graphical interface, carefully describing drawing and message handling. While the focus is on the graphical interface, it also introduces basic OS features like threads and file handling. The programs in this book compile and run on both PowerPC and Intel platforms.