vanam@pttesac.UUCP (Marnix van Ammers) (06/03/87)
I am posting this for my brother, Ronald van Ammers. Replies can be sent to me, Marnix van Ammers. Thank you. -------- I need info about the AppleLine box. It purports to be a protocol converter placed between an IBM 3274 controller and an asynchronous modem. I can't find a dealer who carries this product or can tell me if it solves my problem. My problem: I work with IBM Mainframes and want to dial into work from home. I have a Mac+, Apple1200 modem, and MacTerminal. Our DP shop is _pure_ IBM (none of this toylike ASCII and asynchronous stuff). The programmers take home IBM PCs, Racal Vadic (synchronous) modems, and PC3270 emulation software. I've been offered an IBM PC to take home but I know I can be more productive with my Mac. Our systems programmer will concede exactly one 3274 port if that is necessary. Will AppleLine do it? At my last job they had an IBM 7171 protocol converter, which worked fine for me and everyone else whether Mac, IBM, or VIC-20. Too expensive, though. Or, is there a synchronous solution? Or, should I ask for an SE with a PC card, etc? (just kidding). --------
jimd@frog.UUCP (06/13/87)
In article <430@pttesac.UUCP> vanam@pttesac.UUCP (Marnix van Ammers) writes: > >I need info about the AppleLine box. It purports to be a protocol >converter placed between an IBM 3274 controller and an asynchronous >modem. I can't find a dealer who carries this product or can tell me >if it solves my problem. > The AppleLine box is an Apple-labeled version of IrmaLine for the IBM-PC. If you connect it to your IBM 3274 controller, and then to an asych modem, you should be able to call in from your Mac at home. AppleLine basically serves 2 functions: 1) convert asynch ASCII to synch EBCEDIC (and back), and 2) convert VT100 emulation to 3278 (and back). This is an oversimplification, but you get the idea: it lets a Mac running MacTerminal look like a 3278 terminal. The biggest gotcha with the whole arrangement is that most dealers know zilch about the product, and Apple's marketing and support of it have been half-hearted at best. I am not even sure if it is still officially available, since my contact with the product dates back about 2 years.