gs shared disk

rms@meccsd.MECC.MN.ORG (Roger M. Shimada) (01/11/88)
There were three Apple // compatible networks showed off at MECC '87,
a yearly conference we have.  (It's primarily meant for educators.)

The reason my subject line says "shared disk" is because to my
knowledge, there are no Apple // file servers available.  (A file
server should do things such as make sure only one user has write
access to a file; due the implemenation of all Apple // DOSes, noone
has gone to the trouble to do this.)

Corvus:
	Without a doubt, the currently largest installed base of
	Apple // networks.  Supports all Apple //s (except the //c),
	Macs, IBMs, etc.  You can have up to 63 nodes on a network
	(you can have more, but that starts getting difficult).  A
	node would be an Apple, the Corvus drive, a tape backup unit,
	or a printer server.  Putting multiple drives on the network
	is easy.  Drive sizes are from 20 to 140MB, I believe.  We
	rely the Corvus network for our Apple // development.  (Plug:
	most MECC Apple // software will run on a Corvus network with
	a crossloader available from MECC.)  Their network printers
	need some help.

	Unfortunately, at this point, does *not* support the gs in
	fast mode.  (They're looking in to this.)

Digicard:
	Network designed for classroom use.  Up to 60 computers may be
	attached to the system; 28 Apple // (not //c) machines on a
	flat cable, another 32 Apple //s, Macs or IBMs on twisted
	pair.  Its unique design allows users to all boot off of
	single floppy disk.  The master controller has two floppy
	drives and both a parallel and serial port (only one may be
	active at a time) and talks to the first 28 users.  The
	optional network interface unit contains a hard drive and
	support for the other 32 users.  Disk size is from 20 to 70
	MB.  This network has the best Apple // shared printer
	implmentation I've ever seen.

Velan:
	Unique because it supports *all* Apple // computers.  It runs
	off a serial port; you can convert an Apple Super Serial Card
	to a Velan interface card by changing the ROM chip.  So it
	easily runs on Apple //s, Macs, IBMs and Tandies.  They have
	an emphisis on fast thoughput.  It uses an IBM AT compatible
	as the server.  Ports are available in multiples of 16, up to
	64.  It's network printer handling may be as good as
	Digicard's; I don't know.

The //gs makes a mess here though - the Corvus interface card is
timing dependant, so it doesn't run in fast mode.  To date I know of
no network that supports the booting of ProDOS 16.

--
Roger M. Shimada		ihnp4!meccts!rms		rms@MECC.MN.ORG