Re: Q:Can you connect a 3.5" disk to a ][e

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article shack@onyx.southwind.net (Randy Shackelford) writes...

>Mitchell Spector (spec@vax2.concordia.ca) wrote:
>
>:     I only have one Apple II 3.5 Disk Controller Card, and considering
>: how incredibly rare they've become (and valuable as a "bridge" between
>: my Apple II and PC) I rather keep it than sell it for the US$100 plus
>: they can be auctioned off for. In a way, it is a piece of the "Mark
>: Twain" in my ROM 3. ;-)
>
>Boy I have to say that mine doesn't get much use any more. Using Appleshare
>is SO much easier. Guess I'll hang on to the card tho.

    I must admit having an Appleshare network between my Apple IIgs
and PC would be rather cool, but then not every PC owner owns a GS,
let alone has one connected and running in the same room. Sadly, I
_do_ have the hardware for the PC side to do AppleTalk, but just not
the software (it's kind of like the same situtation that won't allow
you to transfer files from the Mac to the Apple IIgs, only the reverse
in that one direction).

    In the meantime, the SuperDrive gives me access to transfer both
ways (and the same is true with an null-modem solution, even if it's
not as nice as a true network).

>I'm starting to get the idea that real live external superdrives with the
>amber in use light and "FDHD" on the front are as hard to come by as the
>cards. These were never big sellers when you consider how few cards were
>sold for Apple IIs and how few Mac models could use the drives and how few
>Mac users could justify the price for 'em. That makes it good that it's so
>easy to convert an external 800K.

    Yep, I gave up searching for an official external SuperDrive and
instead went with the internal mechanism. Incidentally, not all those
drives had "FDHD" printed on the front, I think it may have been only
early drives so they weren't confused with 800K (which where still
made available for Apple IIgs and IIc Plus users). I stuck a little
"FDHD" on my converted 800K drive, though I still haven't tracked
down an amber LED. :)

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca