Re: Appletalk question

[mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon)]

Howe Family <khowe@omninet.net.au> wrote in message news:<khowe-3A0450.10295308082001@news.per.paradox.net.au>...
> In article <20010807194000.05112.00004776@ng-fi1.aol.com>, 
> mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon) wrote:
> 
> > What would it take
> > to write an AppleShare file server for the IIgs, suitable for older
> > Macs (at least) and IIgs's and //e's?  If this were written, a IIgs
> > could serve as a file server for other IIgs's and //e's, as well as
> > the occasional Mac.  Perhaps multiple IIgs's could even do
> > peer-to-peer file sharing.
> > 
> > Is this not done because it's impossible, or because of lack of
> > documentation, or because no one has taken the time to do it?
> > 
> 
> Mostly the latter, I would think. Also it would involve quite a 
> performance hit to the GS to be running the server. Server type 
> operations aren't the GS's strong point. Using a Mac as a server is 
> probably cheaper and easier at this stage.

Yes, but it does make the network into a star with the Mac at the
center, when a peer-to-peer IIgs network with optional //e clients
would be great.

I would think that a IIgs could keep up quite well with a LocalTalk
connection.  An Ethernet connection would be much more challenging.

> I'd be more interested in seeing an Appletalk IP client for the GS that 
> worked over the LANceGS card, so we could network at ethernet speeds to 
> the current Macs.

Agreed--that would be a nice thing to have, although Apple II's are
not especially fast at moving and storing data, and the net (!) throughput
may not be nearly as good as the link speed would suggest.

Also, with protocol layering, an AppleTalk server for the IIgs should
also function very nicely with an Ethernet link.  ;-)

-michael