Re: Apple II Email (The Challenge)

[pubpc1@library.ucla.edu]

This message is being directed to the general comp.sys.apple2 and
the programmer and comm groups because it (at least this proposal) is
of relevance to all three (and because some people involved in the
project frequent only one of the three).

The Project:

A while ago, a group of people endeavoring to use Apple //e and
greater computers as email workstations started a project to allow
this to work.

The Problem:

The usual email and network protocols are difficult if not impossible
to implement on a 128K Apple //e class computer.  The only TCP being
developed for an Apple II requires an Apple IIGS class computer with
a minimum of 2MB of memory, for example.  People began to lean toward
using the //es as VT100 terminals.  The problem with that was that the
existing software, ProTERM on the Apple II and PINE on the Linux box
needed to be simplified if the system was to be used by children.  An
intuitively simple terminal for the Apple II, which would be called
Kidterm, and a simple email program for Linux, codenamed Willow, was
the aim.  Does Kidterm already exist?  Does Willow already exist?
Also, there was a desire for network resources such as print sharing
and hard disk storage.

The grant proposal stipulates $100 to $150 per computer to establish
the network (60 Apple computers on the network).

The Possible Solution:

The problem is not unworkable.  The first thing to do is to split
the problem into two parts.  It is important to remember that there
already are Apple //e class programs that can access email and
usenet from a UNIX box.  These include METAL based FV and Proline.
The only obstacle to using these (or modifying them to be used) as
the basis for an Apple II based email program is the requirement of
a hard disk drive.  The discussion in comp.sys.apple2 arrived at
this plan:

1) Network Resources: Hard Disk Storage and Print Sharing

Instead of trying to use the Linux box as a hard disk and print
spooler, it would be cheaper to equip the Apple IIs with this
capability.  Alltech Electronics makes a 20MB internal hard disk
drive for Apple //e and IIGS computers for $89.  With the allocated
funds, each Apple II can have a hard disk to run applications
such as AppleWorks on.  More importantly, this will give them enough
space to run METAL.  METAL is a telecommunications programming
language.  Although Kidterm dosn't exist, it could easily be
programmed in METAL.  METAL has the capability to extract and send
email and usenet through a UNIX or Linux box.  The advantage of
programming Kidterm in METAL is that the task would be trivial.
METAL already has pre-written serial drivers and email and usenet
modules, now used with the FV BBS system.  These could easily be used
as modules for Kidterm.  It is also 100% free.

For print sharing, an automatic print sharing device with multiple
serial inputs and an output connected to a printer is the best bet.

2) Email: Kidterm and Willow and the networking hardware

The networking hardware can simply be super serial cards (or
equivalent serial cards) in each Apple II, linked by serial cables
to the Linux server.

Kidterm can be written in the METAL programming language.  The
source code for METAL is available.  It should be possible to
modify it to boot into a startup program (much like BASIC.SYSTEM
launches STARTUP) when the METAL run time environment is launched.
Kidterm would be a front end program written in METAL that sends
and retrieves email and usenet through the Linux box.

The fact that Kidterm is a custom program rather than a dumb VT100
terminal eliminates the need for a dedicated Willow email program on
the Linux side.

How it will function:

Article Unavailable