IIgs/PC Network Development

[!smentzer@ecom.net (Steve Mentzer)]

Ok, if you are one of those people who continually spews "It cant be done" 
without thinking about the true potential or viability of a IIgs project, then 
close this thread immediately.

If you want to hear about an idea I have, read ahead.


What do I want from my IIgs the most these days.

1 - Ability to access shared network resources w/o having to run a MAC.
2 - Ability to download files on the PC and EASILY transfer the files to 
    the IIgs for use
3 - Ability to have a partition size > 32MB w/o having to use HFS.


What is preventing this from happening?

1 - Appletalk either requires a MAC or special hardware to implement.
2 - Downloading files onto a IIgs from a PC requires you to load a special
    piece of software (ie proterm) and allows NO additional functionality.
3 - HFS is nice, but I am leary of using it because of reported bugs.


** Here is my idea **

The easiest and most reliable way to connect a PC to a IIgs is via a serial 
port. This limits a theoretical network connection to ~57.6k, but that is still 
plenty fast (unless you are transferring 100MB at a time).

So, imagine this. Create an INIT (prolly the wrong term, I am not a IIgs 
programmer) for GS/OS that simulates an AppleTalk replacement over the standard 
serial port using a protocol that we define. 

In other words, this init would provide network functionality to the IIgs over 
a standard serial port, and the server-side software (PC/WinNT-9x/Linux) would 
"host" a virtual store.

I can write the server side software. That is easy. 

But is it technically feasible to write an INIT to do the above?

Imagine your PC hard disk being used as a virtual store for IIgs files. Imagine 
clicking on the drive icon in GS/OS and having this "virtual share" show up. 
Imagine having this share show up as an icon on the IIgs desktop.

I think it can be done, but I need some IIgs GS/OS experts to analyze my idea.

Here are some advantages
------------------------

1 - ANY PC running Linux/WinNT/Win9x could in theory host files for a IIgs. 
Special hardware/routers/cards would no longer be required.
2 - In addition to file sharing, all PC resources could in theory be shared. 
This includes printers.
3 - Marinetti could be patched to work with this init to provide a 
"virtual-PPP" connection over the 57.6k serial link. This could usurp the 33.6k 
maximum of many IIgs-connected modems today.
4 - NO ADDITIONAL HARDWARE IS NEEDED!

Disadvantages
-------------

1 - 57.6k can be tedious at times. Small files will copy very quicky. Large 
files will take a while. Even still a 1MB file at 57.6k will still copy in 
under 3 minutes. And you won't have to leave yer desktop!


GS/OS programmers, please think about the viability of this project, and get 
back to me. I could whip up a Win32 server in no time. Just let me know what it 
is gonna take to get y'all started.

smentzer@ecom.net