gw@sickkids.UUCP (CFI/Graham Wilson ) (07/28/88)
I am looking for information on products that allow me to hook AT's and XT's into an Appletalk network. We have about a dozen Mac's and an Apple laserwriter. The Mac's send their files to the laserwriter via the Appletalk network. When I want to use the laserwriter, I have to check that no one else is using it, turn the laserwriter off, switch it over to the serial port, print my postscript file, and then put the laserwriter back onto AppleTalk. What I would like is a PC board which allow my AT (and some other PC's) to send their postscript files to the laserwriter via AppleTalk (this would make everyone involved most happy). If it matters, the Mac's are all using system 4.2 with finder 6.0. I am sure that there are products to do this, does anyone have any names and/or information? Many thanks in advance. PLEASE e-mail, do not post. I will summarize to both groups. Graham Wilson | watmath allegra decvax CyberFluor Inc | | | | 179 John St, #400 | uunet!utai!utgpu!utzoo!sickkids!gw Toronto, Ont, M5T 1X4 | | | (416) 977-5450 | ubc-vision linus
halff@nprdc.arpa (Henry Halff) (08/01/88)
In article <102@sickkids.UUCP> gw@sickkids.UUCP (CFI/Graham Wilson ) writes > >I am looking for information on products that allow me to hook AT's and XT's >into an Appletalk network. > >What I would like is a PC board which allow my AT (and some other PC's) >to send their postscript files to the laserwriter via AppleTalk Your best bet is an Appletalk card called Flashcard and a software package called NetPrint, both from Tops. The combination lets you send Postscript files to your laserwriter and also contains translators that make the laserwriter emulate an Epson FX80 or an IBM proprinter. I can't say the solution is trouble free, but it's workable, and it's a lot better than switching cables and reinitializing your laserwriter. hh
walter@garth.UUCP (Walter Bays) (08/02/88)
In article <102@sickkids.UUCP> gw@sickkids.UUCP (CFI/Graham Wilson (977-5450) [RICFI7921Z]) writes: >I am looking for information on products that allow me to hook AT's and XT's >into an Appletalk network. TOPS (Sun Microsystems) is the product for you. You can share not only printers, but also files. It also provides text-to-Postscript translation for PC applications which lack Postscript capability. Problems: PC's don't have enough memory for networking and any large application. Mac's stay on the network, while PC's come up on the network, grab a file, and go back off. PC's do have enough memory to run applications and print simultaneously, though Ventura Publisher is stretching it. PC applications were not written for networking. Postscript-capable applications assume theirs is the only machine using the network, and re-initialize the printer accordingly. Mac applications (usually) are more cooperative and leave the Apple initialization alone. With one or more PC's on the network, printing will be somewhat less stable than in a Mac-only network. Occasionally a Mac will re-initialize the printer - no problem. Sometimes you'll have to power the printer off and back on - still better than swapping cables every time you print. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ My opinions are my own. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear. E-Mail route: ...!pyramid!garth!walter (415) 852-2384 USPS: Intergraph APD, 2400 Geng Road, Palo Alto, California 94303 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------