Re: Utility to write DOS 3.3 disks under GS/OS?

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Jeff Blakeney writes ...
> 
> On 26 May 2004 08:24:23 -0400, dalloff@gcfn.org (Dave Althoff Jr)
> wrote:
> 
> >As I recall, the basic problem is that Apple never provided the
> >documentation necessary for writing an FST, so no one has been able to
> >finish the DOS 3.3 FST.
> 
> Some have speculated, and it makes some sense to me as well, that
> Apple made the DOS 3.3, Pascal and MS-DOS FSTs read only because there
> was no way to support extended files (files with resource forks) on
> those file systems.  At least, there isn't an easy way to do so.
> Apple did create the AppleSingle and AppleDouble file formats a long
> time ago to address this problem so the FSTs could have been written
> to read and write extended files to operating systems that don't
> support extended files by using one of those formats.
> 
> However, it would have been more work which, at the time, I'm sure
> Apple wasn't willing to pay for.
> 
 ....

     Maybe. Even so, supporting DOS 3.3 R/W would have been a hassle
with or without support for forked files. The current DOS 3.3 FST isn't
even a very good Read-only implementation. For instance, it does not
show correct Volume Number and chokes on diskettes with more than 
35 tracks.

     In general, DOS 3.3 is too drive-dependent to fit very well with
the IIgs OS. 

     As for MS-DOS, Apple may not have wanted to get into supporting
a DOS which might end up replacing its own OS's.


Rubywand