Re: IIGS network

[Will Smith <wsmith@ctron.com>]

On Tue, 1 Dec 1998, Mark Ayzenshteyn wrote:

> I would like to get some info on networking a IIGS. My very first 
> computer was a IIGS and I always regretted selling it. I have been 
> thinking of puting down the $50-60 bucks and getting another one, but I 
> would like to know what I can do with it. I have a linux/windows ethernet 
> network at home to which I would like to connect this IIGS. I have one of 
> them Apple ethernet thin coax transrecivers. Can I plug that into the IIGS?
> Also I only run TCP/IP on my network at home. Is there a TCP/IP stack for 
> the IIGS? If not I think I can get my linux boxes to start talking 
> appletalk on the wire. Also what networky things can I do on the IIGS?

well, i have Good News and Bad News....

the Bad News is that there has never been a PRODUCTION RELEASE of a
network card for the Apple II series.  there have been prototypes out
there (Tony Diaz of Alltech Electronics has one, i think), and there have
been somewhat successful attempts at an adapter to permit the use of PC
ISA Bus ethernet cards on the Apple II, but nothing that's very common.

the Good News is that if you have a modem on your GS, or even if you have
a seial line open on your Linux box, you could rig Marinetti.  Marinetti
is a TCP/IP stack written by Richard Bennett.  (see
http://www.apple2.org/marinetti for more information.)  if your ISP
hasn't cowered to the M$ Menace (by using NT for a server, like my ISP
has!), then you can connect your GS to the 'Net that way.  my option (and
one you might consider for your home LAN) is to connect the GS to my Linux
box via direct-connect serial and Marinetti.  given THAT, you shouldn't
have too much trouble...  ...once you tweak everything...  :)
 
> Back in the days I mostly played winter games & such, used appleworks and 
> learned basic.(I sure miss the little bugger :). Assuming there is a 
> TCP/IP stack, are the web browsers, X servers, telnet clients for it, etc?

for web browsers, there's nothing in the class of Netscape or (God
forbid!) IE.  there's SIS, which is a text browser that utilizes the GS's
GUI...  that's the only browser that i know about.  there are several
telnet clients out there; one that comes with Marinetti, and i THINK
there's one in the GNO/ME package (it's a unix-ish set of stuff that
enhances GS/OS so that it becomes more like unix, but slower... <g>)...

i don't think there are any X servers (or X-compatible clients, for that
matter) available, though.  8(

don't give up hope....  :)

---
William Smith    timex-at-tpau.kluge.net
Biddeford, ME    http://www.kluge.net/~timex