Re: ANN: Web Browser for 8 bit Apple //

[Jalapeno <jalapeno1@mac.com>]

In article <CpPr8.2384$Sv.150131@localhost>, tturner@ecn.ab.ca () 
wrote:

> Bart (you@somehost.somedomain) wrote:
<snippity>
> <snip>
> :  Now, my point is simple here:  A LANceGS needs a TCP aware network to talk 
> : to, and a 8 bit BUS to communicate.  Thats right an 8 bit BUS. it IS a slot 
> : card after all.  Also it uses 8 bit ProDOS utilites to tests it, ping it, 
> : set 
> : its IP, establish subnet, etc.  SO....it seems logical to ME at least that 
> : it 
> : would be possible to get this gadget to speak to some OTHER TCP/IP 
> : stack...if'n a feller were smart enough ;)

To OP, I'm not sure what you're saying here. Mr. Lange has made it clear 
that he will freely create any software interface to the LANceGS if you 
supply him with the specs. 

> : The LANceGS ain't cheap though; about one hundred fifty bucks or there 
> : abouts, 
> : so, save your box tops.
> <snip>
> 
> --> If, by adding a LANceGS card to my IIe, possibly modded - and if,
>     by adding some software (installable on my Sider), I could get my
>     IIe to be able to share/swap/copy/open files with/between the PC's
>     on my P2P network (IOW, add my IIe directly to my network, via/
>     through my Linksys Switches); then I would quite likely spring for
>     the dollars to obtain such.  Simply because I think t'would be so
>     very, very, cool.
> 

Only the [lack of] software for the iie is holding you back now.

>     I can go online with ProTERM 3.1 and my SupraModem 2400 and my
>     dial-in Freenet account (Lynx, Pine, etc.) and I'm happy enough.
>     After all, all I do on t he Apple-side is read my e-mail and the
>     News Groups I've subscribed to - I use my PC, Win98SE & IE55 and
>     RADSL to do any exploring on the graphical-side of things.
> 

Quite common.

>     Unfortunately - it seems that not only will I never be able to
>     add my IIe to my P2P network; but that I'll also be unable to
>     add my IIgs to the network - due to apparently needing not only
>     a MacIntosh computer, but also some other hardware (Gatorbox?)
>     as well as software and the LANceGS card. ...

There seems to be a misconception here. 

1.) If you have a LANceGS and the supplied Marinetti link layer then you 
can attach your iigs directly to an ethernet network and use TCP/IP 
applications just fine, as is. The only thing to hold you back would be 
the sparse selection of currently available TCP/IP applications for the 
iigs. (ftp and telnet being the only 2 I've used). 

2.) A Gatorbox (or another Localtalk-to-ethernet device) is used to 
connect your iigs to an ethernet network if'n you don't have a LANceGS 
card installed. Netatalk needs to be installed and configured on a Unix 
or a Linux box, but no additional software is needed for a Mac. This 
gives you appletalk networking only, however.

3,) A Macintosh is not needed with a LANceGS (in fact, from what I've 
read over the past couple of years, most LANceGS owners connect via a 
Linux box). 

4.) A Macintosh with an Ethertalk connection is needed with the Gatorbox 
to iigs for appletalk networking only (see number 2 above). 

5.) The MacIP link layer hasn't been released so Marinetti doesn't do 
MacIP yet whether you have a Gatorbox type device or not.

6.) The LANceGS card is capable of communicating via any protocol that 
can work over ethernet. IP is currently the only protocol available 
because [apparently] Mr. Bennett asked Mr. Lange to create an interface 
for Marinetti. 

>     ...                                      Now, to me, this seems
>     like cheating or at least a bastardization.  I don't have a Mac
>     and though I'm sure I'll eventually get one - just to have in my
>     collection; I want to be adding a Mac because I _want_ to; not
>     because I _HAVE_ to, just in order to be able to get my IIgs to
>     get onto a network (and even then - it appears, from general
>     reading - that it can only be added to a Client/Server network
>     and _NOT_ onto a P2P network).
> 

Very soon I will have about 40 Mac SE Appletalk servers ready to sell. 
Some also have ethernet cards installed and most have MacMainframe SE 
cards installed. Some have Appleshare 3.0 (the phase one server) and 
some have Appleshare 3.x (the phase two server) already installed. 
Others have Apple's Internet Router software installed (one caveat, 
these are workhorse machines and due to the yellowing of the cases, most 
of them are probably not suitable for a serious collector). These are 
the perfect Apple //e or IIgs  peripherals to add networking for your 
Apples. Some even have large enough SCSI drives installed to make them a 
reasonable file server for Mac networks. (Most have the standard 20MB 
drives installed, however, external SCSI drives can be added as needed, 
or the 20MB's replaced with cheap 250MB - 2GB drives)


>     My simple wish - to be able to exchange files between my PC's
>     and my Apple 2's, on a P2P network; seems to be a foolish one.
> 

What kind of P2P application are you looking for? If it can be written 
to use TCP/IP then it most certainly can be written for the 
IIgs/Marinetti/LANceGS combo. Whether it has been (or whether it will 
be) is certainly another story ;)