Re: Apple IIgs Virtual Hard Disk Project - Thoughts/Different Approach?

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

D Finnigan <dog_cow@macgui.com> wrote:

> IUnknown wrote:
> > On Apr 29, 10:55ï¿∏am, dog_...@macgui.com (D Finnigan) wrote:
> >> IUnknown wrote:
> >>
> >> > What would it take to get the IIgs to boot via the serial
> >> > connection ... as cheaply as possible?
> >>
> >> AppleTalk
> > 
> > If you can explain how to get the IIgs appletalk port to talk to a
> > modern pc running mac/windows/linux without the need for additional
> > hardware (router/bridge), I am all ears :)
> 
> netatalk? Or something similar
> 
> It's not impossible, you know.

netatalk only provides the protocol stack. It doesn't help with physical
interfacing.

You still need a serial port which supports RS-422, bit-synchronous SDLC
framing with FM encoding at 230400 bps, and a few other tricks (e.g. a
Zilog Z8530 SCC or equivalent), or a hardware box which converts from
LocalTalk to EtherTalk.

The last desktop Mac with an AppleTalk-compatible serial port was
discontinued in January 1999, and the last laptop in May 1999, and none
of the models with this serial port support using it for LocalTalk under
Mac OS X. This sort of serial port has never been commonly or cheaply
available for PCs running Windows/Linux.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz