The CAMAC (Computer Aided Measurement and Control) system 
,
was first introduced in 1969 as a new standard to handle
the ever growing complexity of nuclear and particle physics experiments, both
in terms of the data acquisition and detector monitoring. The necessity for
computer control in these areas motivated introduction of the CAMAC standard.
This report presents a general overview of the CAMAC specification. A brief
description of the physical and electrical standards of the CAMAC system will
be given, followd by a detailed outline of the CAMAC dataway and signals.
Discussion of the use of signals in dataway operations can best be found in
another report 
.