Re: Appletalk or GS/TCP?

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Randy Shackelford <shack@deimos.frii.com> wrote:

> In article <19961210230613254942@dempson.actrix.gen.nz>,
> David Empson <dempson@actrix.gen.nz> wrote:
>
> >AppleTalk is not a very convenient method for sharing files between a
> >IIgs and PC, for several reasons:
> >
> >1a. LocalTalk interfacing hardware on the PC is rare.
> >1b. EtherTalk interfacing hardware on the IIgs is almost nonexistant
> >(and not publically available).
> 
> But you don't really need such a thing. I have a Kinetics Fastpath working
> as a localtalk-ethernet bridge on my network, so I can leave my Quadra and
> SE/30 on ethernet and still use my localtalk printers and share files with
> my IIs and localtalk Macs. I would expect you could connect a peecee to the
> ethernet side as well. You could use a software solution like Apple's
> Localtalk Bridge running on an ethernet connected Mac in lieu of a hardware
> box like the Fastpath.

OK, so to share files over AppleTalk between an Apple II and PC, you
need another piece of external hardware, or a Macintosh with some
commercial software to act a bridge.

> >2a. The IIgs cannot act as a server.
> >2b. AppleShare-compatible server software for a PC is difficult to
> >locate (assuming it exists at all).
> 
> I hear tell that Windows NT has Appletalk support now. Ditto Linux.

Have either of these been tested with an Apple II client?  The "Columbia
AppleTalk Protocol" (CAP) package didn't support A2 clients.

> >2c. Assuming you could locate such software, it is quite possible that
> >it would have a limited implementation of the appropriate protocols,
> >which would not support logging onto the PC from an Apple II.
> 
> If they support AFP, I'd expect no problems.

I would.  There are different levels of AFP support, and it is quite
likely that any PC-based server implementation is limited to only
supporting the features required by a Macintosh client.  Support for
Apple II clients (such as simpler logon methods, and I think there is
some file-level support required as well) may not be present.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail Mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand