Re: I wonder if it would be complicated to design...

[Phil Tubb <googleplus@w127.com>]

On Thursday, May 9, 2013 12:29:48 AM UTC-7, Steve Nickolas wrote:
> I wonder if it would be complicated to design a minimalistic, 
> 
> ProDOS-compatible drive controller for ordinary 1.44 MB drives (for PCs). 
> 
> That would be *my* ideal method of handling software on my //e.
> 
> 
> 
> -uso.

ALF's "CS6 Turbo II" card http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALF_Products#CS5_Turbo_.2F_CS6_Turbo_II_diskette_copiers plugged into an Apple II expansion slot and connected to standard floppy drives. It could read and write both Apple II formats and standard IBM PC formats. If you could find one of those cards, that would give you the hardware. I'm not sure what software came with it, since (aside from disk copying) it was primarily used along with ALF's 8088 processor card and CP/M-86 or MS-DOS (so most of the software may run on the 8088 rather than on the Apple's 6502). I don't think it would care whether you connect a 5.25" drive or a 3.5" drive, so long as the 3.5" drive was jumpered to operate at 300 RPM (rather than 360 RPM; 3.5" drives can usually do either speed).