Re: SCSI Apple II

[nparker@cie-2.uoregon.edu (Neil Parker)]

In article <334d1c9d.265236090@news.idt.net> aenglish@scnc.waverly.k12.mi.us
writes:
>Purely Theoretical:
>	Would it be possible to connect an Apple II to another type of
>computer (PC or Mac) as a SCSI device?  I know Macs a bit better than
>I know PCs, so to use the example of a SCSI Apple II on a Mac, it
>would show up on the desktop similar to a SCSI hard drive, for
>example.  I know almost nothing about SCSIs, but it seems that if
>something like this could be done it would be a much easier solution
>than null-modem serial stuff for transfering files (and don't even
>talk to me about Macs and 3.5 inch drives; I'm sure that method is
>easiest but I don't want to start another debate ;) ).

Purely theoretical response:

I don't see any good reason why it wouldn't be possible.  There's nothing I
know of in the SCSI standards that requires a device claiming to be a hard
drive to actually physically *be* a hard drive--as long as it can perform
the target side of the SCSI protocol, and responds appropriately to the
SCSI hard drive commands, it should work.

The problem is, as far as I know, nobody has ever written any software for
the Apple II that allows it to emulate a SCSI hard drive.  I'm less certain
about the Mac, but I've never heard of any such software for it either.

I'm pretty sure such software *could* be written.  But it would require a
lot of work, and a thorough understanding of the SCSI standards.  And if
the SCSI emulator were running on an Apple II, it would probably take over
the entire computer, so that you couldn't do anything else with it as long
as the software were running.

Of course the hard drive emulator would have to have access to (or be able
to simulate on the fly) physical storage media formatted in a manner
acceptable to the other machine.  This is essentially the same problem as
getting a Mac to recognize a IIGS-formatted hard drive, and would have to
be solved in a similar manner.


My personal feeling is that scrounging up a null modem cable and some
terminal software would be less work than setting up a pseudo-hard-drive
system.

               - Neil Parker
-- 
Neil Parker, nparker@{cie-2,cie}.uoregon.edu, http://cie-2.uoregon.edu/~nparker
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