info-mac@uw-beaver.UUCP (11/12/84)
From: Gustavo Fernandez <FERNANDEZ@SU-SCORE.ARPA> Don't bother. Mac disks are incompatible with anyone else's down to the lowest level. You would have to re-design the controller (i.e. IWM) in order to allow the Mac to read anything beyond mac and Lisa disks. If it's lisa disks that you want to read, then things are much easier. There already exists a file, Unlisa.BAS in <info-mac> which will do this. HP disks will be impossible to read. I have tried reading non-apple 5 1/4" disks on my Apple II and have come across similar brick walls. Remember that the same IWM used in a Mac is also used in a IIc. -------
info-mac@uw-beaver (info-mac) (11/14/84)
From: Devon S. McCullough <DEVON@MIT-MC> The IWM is incredibly flexible and can read any disk that will fit in the drive, given the correct driving software. I have designed (but never taken the time to implement) an Apple ][ program that reads North*Star disks, and they're even hard-sectored, which means the software has to guess where the sector holes are (it's not that hard). I am interested in doing this sort of thing for the Mac as well, and would love to talk with anyone who shares this interest. Anyone have specs/schematics for the drive interface, or any of the Mac hardware?
info-mac@uw-beaver (info-mac) (11/14/84)
From: Gustavo Fernandez <FERNANDEZ@SU-SCORE.ARPA> What other disk formats would you like to read? HP? Why bother? What would you have to gain? Mac software isn't portable anyway, and don't tell me that you want to write an HP emulator! On an Apple II, this makes morse sense as there are programs that can be readily ported to the older machine from other computers. People should spend more time trying to improve the mac by writing original software rather than trying to bring in foreign software which does not adhere to the Mac user interface. If it's algorithms in source code that you want to port, RS232 is probably much more efficient (and general) -------