Re: Apple II Email (Network Connections)

[Jack Friess <jfriess@wctc.net>]

On 20 Oct 1996 00:36:20 -0400 Dave Althoff
<dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us> wonders why we restricting the A2 to a dumb
terminal:

> Apart from the obvious answer that it lets you limit yourself to existing
> programs (i.e. ProTERM, PINE, etc.), is there any reason to use the ][
> strictly as a dumb VT-100 box?  Given the fact that the ][ (presuming 64k
> 80-column ][e's or better does not seem unreasonable for this application)
> is a flexible, programmable machine...and that UNIX allows for some fairly
> sophisticated operations itself...what is to stop significantly skilled
> programmers from developing a set of programs...a UNIX server and a ][e
> client...to replace the usual VT-100 interface?  Would it not be possible
> to develop (or adapt) a data exchange protocol between the ][ and the
> network in which a program running on the ][ could request file transfers,
> establish some handshaking, and transmit and receive files over the
> network?  Then, the mail client can isolate the user from the actual file
> transfer stuff, provide a nifty text interface, and so on.

You're right, Dave.  And one of our program developers has proposed to do,
I believe, pretty much what you're proposing here:  create, in essence, a
new, network protocal for the A2 (other than LocalTalk/AppleTalk, and some
others--like Mastery Development's).  It would certainly be neat to have
all the functions of a normal network available to the A2 through an
inexpensive serial connection and freeware.  And this may still come
about.  But the problem, at this point, is time. 

We'd really like to get email up and going for kids--in our schools, as
well as other schools in the world that have A2 computers in their class-
rooms.  We think we can quickly put the hardware components together, and
then write a kid-friendly emulator (KidTerm?) and email client (WILLOW?)
that most schools would be able to easily implement without a lot of
expense and trouble.  Compromise--always a part of progress, I guess.

Thanks for your ideas and input.  If you'd like to be put on a "inter-
ested persons" list to receive periodic updates, just let me know.


Jack Friess
Stevens Point, Wisconsin, USA