Re: LocalTalk/AppleShare between IIgs and Mac LC 575 - how?

["Rodney Hester" <rod3@mindspring.com>]

> AppleTalk is really quite simple.  Indeed, you should be able to test it
with
> your IIgs, LC575 and the printer cable from your IWII.

Amazingly enough, this is exactly what I tried last night - and it does in
fact work.  :)

> "Start" button.  (You can ignore "Program Linking", since that is for
> something altogether different.)

What is Program Linking, anyway?  Saw the reference but didn't understand
it.

> installation software on the system 6.0.1 diskettes.  To enable AppleTalk
> on your IIgs, go to the control panels and ensure slot 1 or slot 7 is set
> to AppleTalk (it depends on which version of the IIgs you have).

ROM 03, and I've verified AppleTalk will run fine over either the printer or
modem port (slots 1/2).

> Now, if memory serves me correctly, you access remote AppleShare file
servers
> via the GS/OS's control panels.

Memory serves you correctly.  =)

> you two serial ports for the price of one.  What this means is, in all
> probability, your IWII will have to be connected via the modem port.
There

Ouch.  :(  This is a Bad Thing due to slot contention in my IIgs.  :/

(On the subject of slot contention - it seems physically impossible/a really
bad idea to me to place a Focus hardcard in slot 7 with a Sirius RAM card in
the RAM slot - not only do they physically touch, it actually bends the RAM
card!  Clearly I can't mount the Focus hard drive on the other side of the
card - has anyone ever found a solution to this problem, or even run into
this problem?)

> are special printers which speak in the AppleTalk protocol (usually laser
> printers, though you are supposed to be able to get a card for the IWII to
> enable this option).  Of course, if you do get an AppleTalk printer, you
can

Many of said cards are readily available, and I don't mind purchasing
one...see below.

> print from either your IIgs or your LC575 (and the handy part is, the
printer
> serves as its own print server, so only the printer and the computer you
are
> printing from need be turned on).

This is way cool, but wouldn't that limit me to printing only from
AppleTalk-printer-aware apps on the GS side?  (Essentially, what I'm getting
at here is an assumption that we won't be printing from GEOS or the original
IIe version of Print Shop with the printer on AppleTalk, right?)

If I *do* get an AppleTalk adapter for the printer, do I also need the
"Apple LocalTalk Locking Connector Kit"?  (From what I've seen, I install
the AppleTalk adapter in the ImageWriter II, flip the DIP switch, plug the
newly-enabled-network-printer into one side of the Y with the printer cable,
plug the LocalTalk cable (same damn thing, I think) into the other side, and
plug the other end of the LocalTalk cable into the Mac.

I assume, when doing this, I have to set up some sort of special print
driver on both sides?  (Is this what the Mac Chooser is all about?)

> I forget whether the drives are accessible via ProDOS.  I am almost
certain
> that the drives will not be available if you boot into ProDOS.  (Question

They are most definitely not available in ProDOS.  This is what leads me to
believe that I will be able to print only from GS/OS apps.  (Not an enormous
loss, but one I'd like to be clear on.)

> If you do not have a hard drive, and even if you do, AppleTalk won't seem
> slow.  It is a tool which has its purpose, and it works remarkably well!

It doesn't seem _that_ slow, but it truly does work remarkably well.  I only
wish Asimov GS could see the drive.  :/

> AFAIK, it is impossible to dispense of authentication with FileShare.
> However, Apple's file sharing is very open: by default, you have access to
> all of the remote drive (except, maybe, as guest), and and an empty
password
> is fair game!

I set up guest with full rights and it's running beautifully.  =)

> If you need any more details, just let me know.  I will use any excuse to
> dust off my old IIgs.

Just one more question...if the Mac is turned off when I'm booting up GS/OS
(which is configured to automount the shared folder I set up), the IIgs will
still boot, but there is a lengthy (looks like about 30 seconds) timeout
period whilst the IIgs goes searching for my AppleShare volume.  Is there
any key I can press to skip this search, or any way to shorten the timeout?

Thanks for your generous help!

Rodney