Re: GS/OS for xgs emulator?

[Jerry Penner <jerryp@ziprobes.com>]

Dan Yertzell wrote:

> You are still missing my point (I think).  The standard I am referring to
> was the method of recording a disk, not the format of the disk.  For
> example: think back to all those CPM machines in the late 70's and early
> 80's.  One of the major stumbling blocks to CPM *really* catching on was
> that every manufacturer had their own disk "format".  But they all used the
> same *recording* method: a Western Digital (or compatible) disk controller
> chip.  Thus, all these years later, it is possible to read virtually *any*
> CPM disk on a "modern" machine (PC) just with software.  There has long
> been a shareware package called "22Disk" which does just that, it reads 22
> different CPM "formats".  The reason?   Because they followed the standard.
>  One exception to all this is, of course, Apple CPM via a CPM card.

I think the real bottom line was price.  Apple could have bought the
drives from Shugart with the boards on them, but it would have cost
their customers too much (or cut into their profit margins too much?
:-P)
In any event, that is what they said back then.

I agree that it is too bad they chose to go they way they went, but if
you look at Apple, they have generally taken the software complexity-
hardware simplicity route.  This has kept their costs down, but it has
often been a frustrating thing for the users.
 
> If we each had a nickel for everytime we've read/replied to a message
> asking "How do I read my Apple disks on my shiny new _________  computer?"
>   :-)

Then we could buy some candy.  ;)

	Jerry