Re: How do I get apple ][ 5 1/4 to Mac ][ci

[nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)]

In article <3380952F.D05@base2media.com>,
Anthony Mitchell  <amitch@base2media.com> wrote:
>   I've got an apple 5 1/4 half height drive that I use on my apple //e
>that look like I should be able to plug right into the back of my Mac
>][ci. I can't seem to get it to read anything correctly. Is there a
>special driver for the half height. What is that port for in the back of
>my mac? (the one with the disk icon above it, not SCSI) 

   Not going to work. Even intuitive pictures are useless; you'll need
to either read a techincal manual on your Mac or consult online
references, like here. The only Apple II 5.25" drive that works on
Macs is those connected to the rather rare //e emulation card that
only works on certain Macs. [Macs had a drive to read PC 5.25" drives
years before the emulation card, which shows you whom Apple wanted to
suck up to, and whom they wanted to shaft]

   That disk port in back of your Mac is for connecting Apple 3.5"
drives to, and specifically those that Apple made work with Macs.  I
think that identical external connectors for compatible and
incompatible hardware is a rather boneheaded move, but those who
worship the cult of Mac will probably try and apologize and invent
reasons for the stupidity. Then there's also the making of the 9-pin
very much non-serial joystick connector on the //e and up the same as
the 9-pin serial port from PCs, which does a great job of confusing
others.

Nathan Mates
--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
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