Re: Superdrive Controllers $59

[pubpc1@library.ucla.edu]

David Empson wrote,
in response to my reply:
> > Second, if you install the HFS FST, your GS can format and save
> > as well as read off of HFS disks, both 800K and 1.44MB.  Using
> > nothing more than the HFS FST and MacSee et al on the PC side,
> > you have your bridge.  By the way, other than for booting, GS/OS
> > does not have a default filesystem.  HFS is on the same level as
> > ProDOS to GS/OS so files on either are equivalent from the user's
> > point of view.  I use HFS formatted disks and hard drive partitions
> > all the time.  The fact that GS/OS can't boot without the ProDOS
> > FST demonstrates this same levelness.
> 
> Was there a typo in that last sentence?  GS/OS _can_ boot without the
> ProDOS FST, but only if booted from an AppleShare server.


You caught my mistake.  :)

My point was that in order to boot from a ProDOS formatted
volume, GS/OS needs the ProDOS FST.  I was pointing out
that this illustrates GS/OS has no default filesystem.
It communicates with ProDOS on the same level as HFS,
AppleShare, and ISO-9660.  Namely, through FST's.
Therefore, B.J.'s claim that the SuperDrive controller
was not a bridge was wrong.  If it is a bridge to the PC
for a Mac, then it is a bridge to the PC for GS/OS because
one of GS/OS's supported filesystems is HFS.  That's why
MacSee (her example) works just as well with GS/OS HFS
disks as with Mac disks.

-Scott G.