This user manual assumes that you already have a good working knowledge of the RenderMan Interface Standard or the popular professional implementation, Pixar's PhotoRealistic RenderMan (``PRMan'' for short), or preferably, both. If you are not already familiar with these, then for Pete's sake run out and find the following invaluable references:
http://www.pixar.com/products/renderman/toolkit/RISpec/
http://www.pixar.com/products/renderman/toolkit/Toolkit/
The remainder of this user manual will assume that you have these resources handy and have already digested the bulk of the material contained therein. Therefore, this manual will refrain from describing the RenderMan standard or any features that BMRT has in common with PRMan, and instead list only differences, extensions, and incompatibilities between BMRT and those other published materials.