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<strong class="NavBar">POV-Ray 3.6 for UNIX documentation</strong><br> <strong>2.1
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<h2><a name="s02_01">2.1 </a>Introduction</h2>
<p>
This book provides a tutorial for the Persistence of Vision Ray-Tracer (POV-Ray). The documentation applies to all
platforms to which this version of POV-Ray is ported. The platform-specific documentation is available for each
platform separately.
</p>
<p>
This book is divided into five main parts:
</p>
<ol>
<li>
This introduction which explains what POV-Ray is and what ray-tracing is. It gives a brief overview of how to
create ray-traced images.
</li>
<li>
A "<a href="#l3">Beginning Tutorial</a>" which explains step by step how to use the different features
of POV-Ray.
</li>
<li>
An "<a href="s_65.html#s02_03">Advanced Tutorial</a>" which contains more advanced tutorial topics.
</li>
<li>
"<a href="s_76.html#s02_04">POV-Ray questions and tips</a>" gives answers to many frequently-asked
questions about POV-Ray.
</li>
<li>
In the "<a href="s_86.html#s02_05">Appendices</a>" you will find some tips and hints, where to get the
latest version and versions for other platforms, the POV-Ray licence, information on compiling custom versions of
POV-Ray, suggested reading, contact addresses and legal information.
</li>
</ol>
<p>
POV-Ray runs on Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP, Macintosh Mac OS and Mac OS X, x86 Linux, UNIX, and other platforms.
</p>
<p>
We assume that if you are reading this document then you already have POV-Ray installed and running. However the
POV-Team does distribute this file by itself in various formats including online on the Internet. If you do not have
POV-Ray or are not sure you have the official version or the latest version, see appendix "<a href="s_90.html#s02_05_04">What
to do if you don't have POV-Ray</a>".
</p>
<p>
This book covers only the generic parts of the program which are common to each version. <strong>Each version has
platform-specific documentation not included here.</strong> We recommend you finish reading this introductory section
then read the platform-specific information before reading this tutorial.
</p>
<p>
The platform-specific docs will show you how to render a sample scene and will give you detailed description of the
platform-specific features.
</p>
<p>
The Windows version documentation is available on the POV-Ray program's Help menu or by pressing the F1 key while
in the program.
</p>
<p>
The Mac platform documentation is available via the "Help" menu as well as for viewing using a regular
web browser. Details may be found in the "<code>POV-Ray MacOS Read Me</code>" which contains information
specific to the Mac version of POV-Ray. It is best to read this document first.
</p>
<p>
The Unix / Linux version documentation can be found at the same place as the platform independent part. Usually
that is <code>/usr/local/share/povray-3.?/html</code>
</p>
<p><strong>
Section Contents
</strong>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="s_49.html#s02_01_01">2.1.1 Program Description</a>
<li>
<a href="s_50.html#s02_01_02">2.1.2 What is Ray-Tracing?</a>
<li>
<a href="s_51.html#s02_01_03">2.1.3 What is POV-Ray?</a>
<li>
<a href="s_52.html#s02_01_04">2.1.4 Features</a>
<li>
<a href="s_53.html#s02_01_05">2.1.5 The Early History of POV-Ray</a>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="s_53.html#s02_01_05_01">2.1.5.1 The Original Creation Message</a>
<li>
<a href="s_53.html#s02_01_05_02">2.1.5.2 The Name</a>
<li>
<a href="s_53.html#s02_01_05_03">2.1.5.3 A Historic 'Version History'</a>
</ul>
<li>
<a href="s_54.html#s02_01_06">2.1.6 How Do I Begin?</a>
<li>
<a href="s_55.html#s02_01_07">2.1.7 Notation and Basic Assumptions</a>
</ul>
<p>
<a name="l3">
<small><strong>More about "Beginning Tutorial"</strong></small>
</a>
<ul>
<li><small>
<a href="s_15.html#s01_03">1.3 Getting Started</a> in 1 POV-Ray for Unix
</small>
<li><small>
<a href="s_56.html#s02_02">2.2 Getting Started</a> in 2 Introduction to POV-Ray
</small>
</ul>
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<strong>2.1 Introduction</strong>
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