[comp.sys.mac] Read/Write discs in another format - answers

mikael@luth.UUCP (05/12/87)

  A few weeks ago I posted a question if it was possible
for an Atari ST to read MacIntosh discs or a Mac to read
ST discs.
  The answer I got was:

Atari reads Mac *NO*:

  An Atari ST can't read MacIntosh discs because the
mac varies the rotating speed depending on which track
the reading head is on.
There might be an solution in sight though:

>The company which produces the Magic Sac for David Small (Data Pacific
>I believe) is coming out with an interface which will allow the exist-
>ing ST drives to read/write Mac disks. I think the interface is very
>near to distribution but do some checking. It's hardware but you won't
->have to worry about loading any kind of program to get the job done.
->
->
->                   I\  /I ____________________________________
->Martin Zyla        I \/ I     /
->Big Electric Cat   I    I    /   {allegra,philabs,cmc12}!phri\
->New York, NY, USA  I    I   /    {bellcore,harpo,cmc12}!cucard!dasys1!mzyla
->                   I    I  /                     {philabs}!tg/
->__________________________/____

  If anyone want to read IBM 3.5" discs this might be of interest.

->The ST _can_ read and write to IBM 3.5" disks when formatted with
->a public-domain formatting program.  If you cannot obtain this
->program, send me mail and I will try to get it to you.
->Greg Onufer
->
->| Greg Onufer (EXODUS)		
->| Mail: University of the Pacific, Casa Jackson #311, Stockton, CA 95211     
->| UUCP: ...ucdavis!uop!exodus    GEnie: G.ONUFER
->| Voice: (209) 944-7484

Mac reads Atari *YES*:

  But you need software to do this.

->From: enea!batcomputer!othello (Michael Culbert)
->
->	It is possible for the Mac to read/write Atari disks, as the hardware
->in the Mac is entirely software controlled.. I have seen a program that does
->just this.. I think that it was on Compuserve, but I am not sure.  The Atari
->uses a very simple disk controller and a MUCH cheaper drive that is NOT multi
->speed, thus it is NOT POSSIBLE at all for the Atari to read/write mac disks.
->
->			-Michael Culbert
->			{Systems programmer: othello@tesla.ee.cornell.edu}

  Many thanks to you three and the others that answered my question.
-- 
   mikael  (mikael@luth.UUCP)  or  ...mcvax!enea!luth!mikael
.........
You are in error. 2+2=5
Thank you for your cooperation. The Computer.

hannu@tut.UUCP (Koivisto Hannu) (05/18/87)

> 
> 
> ->From: enea!batcomputer!othello (Michael Culbert)
> ->
> ->	It is possible for the Mac to read/write Atari disks, as the hardware
> ->in the Mac is entirely software controlled.. I have seen a program that does
> ->just this.. I think that it was on Compuserve, but I am not sure.  The Atari

     Interesting!! Does anyone out there know about this program ?
				      
	hannu@tut.fi
	or    ...!mcvax!tut!hannu

jpexg@mit-hermes.UUCP (05/20/87)

In article <791@luth.UUCP>, mikael@luth.UUCP (Mikael Eriksson) writes:
> Atari reads Mac *NO*:
>   An Atari ST can't read MacIntosh discs because the
> mac varies the rotating speed depending on which track
> the reading head is on.
> There might be an solution in sight though:

> It is possible for the Mac to read/write Atari disks, as the hardware
> in the Mac is entirely software controlled.. I have seen a program that does
> just this.. I think that it was on Compuserve, but I am not sure.  The Atari
> uses a very simple disk controller and a MUCH cheaper drive that is NOT multi
> speed, thus it is NOT POSSIBLE at all for the Atari to read/write mac disks.
> ->			-Michael Culbert
> ->			{Systems programmer: othello@tesla.ee.cornell.edu}
>   Many thanks to you three and the others that answered my question.
>    mikael  (mikael@luth.UUCP)  or  ...mcvax!enea!luth!mikael

OK, if that's true, then one could tell a Mac "Use your smart software
controlled disk drive to put XXX files on a disk in THIS format". So it
would still be true that an ST couldn't read Mac disks, but a Mac could
be used to transfer data to the ST. Is that right?