Re: Apple II Email (Network Connections)

[pubpc1@library.ucla.edu]

dastar@crl.com (Sam Ismail) wrote:
>brobstona@wartburg.edu wrote:
>: In article <54p9se$qnr@crl13.crl.com>, dastar@crl.com (Sam Ismail) writes:
>
>: Why would that prevent Willow or KidTerm from being used? Getting into
>: the METAL environment isn't that difficult. Basically, you start METAL.
>: If the teacher had to do this part, all that would be needed is for,
>: perhaps, some sort of door to be set up that would be Willow or KidTerm.
>: Have whichever program running all the time as a door. Perhaps, if
>: necessary, a password would have to be used to quit the program.
>
>: At any rate, I don't see why METAL couldn't be used.
>
>Because we want to make this system useful, not a chore.  Having to stop
>what you are doing and then boot-up METAL for the sole-purpose of sending
>e-mail is not very convenient.  The system we are envisioning is an
>extension of ProDOS, with built-in commands for sending/receiving
>e-mail as well as doing print sharing over the super serial card with
>a Unix (Linux) server.


The source code for METAL is free.  There is no reason why it can't be
modified to boot into a startup program.  I know it is an interpreter,
but hey, BASIC.SYSTEM automatically launches STARTUP, right?

Booting up different programs is only tedious if you are doing it from
floppies.  Since the grant proposal allocates $100 to $150 per machine,
you can put an $89 Focus IDE Hard Disk Card of the 20MB size in each
//e.  Going between METAL based Kidterm and, say, AppleWorks, would then
be instantaneous.  Because this network is so cheap, you have grant
money left over for an auto-print sharing device.  You can even install
the Apple II Desktop (a double-hires version of the Finder) for ease
of use.

What do you think?

Could someone post the contact information for Alltech Electronics?
They make the Focus internal Hard Disk Card.  They may offer volume
discounts and have the serial cards and print sharing hardware as well.