Re: "Co-Processor" Apple ?

[robsgreenneon@startmail.ca (Rob Jones)]

mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon) wrote in message news:<20040817152628.16860.00002151@mb-m20.aol.com>...
> Rob Jones wrote:
> 
> >robc638@startmail.ca (Robert C.) wrote in message
> >news:<f86a396.0408061005.125a0b3d@posting.google.com>...
> 
> <snip>
> 
> >> Can two Apples be connected together so they can use each other's
> >> processors? Or at least, can they be networked together?
> >
> >I am new to this group, but I have had my Apple II+ since it was
> >bought new in September 1979 (I remember that date: I was begining my
> >2cd year of High School). Since then I have moved up the line to a
> >//e, then the original Mac, and upwards to the current Power Mac. This
> >group has motivated me to dust off the II+ and //e. This particular
> >thread on Networking the Apple is quite interesting. I know it would
> >be quite easy to interface them and the Macs via the SSC in "Terminal"
> >mode. However, to remain true to an Apple, would it not be possible to
> >connect the "Cassette" jacks between the two? If I remember correctly
> >from 25 years ago (I will need to dust off the Apple Reference Manual
> >too), the Cassette "Out" and "In" can be accessed directly by PEEKing
> >(and POKEing) at them.
> 
> This was recently discussed in this group.
> 
> The problem is that the cassette output is at "microphone" level, and
> the level of the cassette input is "speaker" level, for direct connection
> to the cassette decks of the day.
> 
> So, minimally, two audio amplifier is required to interface two Apples
> using the cassette ports.
> 
> That will enable you to SAVE programs on one machine to the other
> by first doing a LOAD on the other machine, and vice versa.
> 
> If you want to do anything more interesting,.you will have to write
> software to control the ports to make something else happen.
> 
> Two peculiarities of the cassette ports that make them much less
> interesting for general networking are:  1) the output can only be
> "toggled", not set to a particular state (unless you examine its
> state separately), and 2) the input is a capacitively coupled analog
> input with some filtering, which impedes sending fast, digital signals.
> 
> All these issues caused me to prefer using an annunciator output
> and a pushbutton input for NadaNet--it is both simpler and more
> capable.
> 
> -michael
> 
> Check out parallel computing for 8-bit Apples on my
> Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

It was only a suggestion. I'm still not sure what to do with my Apples
and Macs, except to gather more dust.