krauskpf@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu (10/10/88)
We are looking into support for the TOPS and Apple boards for the PC bus, but are just getting started. Any NCSA Telnet users who have done all or part of the AppleTalk driver for the PC version, please let us know so that we can re-distribute your work to all of the people who keep sending in their requests for this capability. Tim Krauskopf NCSA timk@ncsa.uiuc.edu
wnn@DSUNX1.DSRD.ORNL.GOV (W. N. Naegeli) (10/17/88)
We are extremely interested in a low-cost alternative to Ethernet for
PCs to use FTP and other network services. Most of our PC users who have
a frequent need to connect to other computers are either directly wired
to our System Select switch through 4800 Baud or 9600 Baud serial lines
or have an Ethernet board. However, the majority of PC users have an
infrequent need for mini or mainframe connectivity and neither of the two
solutions mentioned is cost effective.
Our initial experience with FlashTalk cards, twisted pair LocalTalk,
and KFPS boxes to connect Macs and PC to allow for file excange, E-mail,
and PostScript printing (using TOPS NetPrint) has been very encouraging.
This inexpensive networking method provides the primary services that
almost every user needs and we are likely to have an explosive expansion
of this networking scheme over the next couple of years, unless the cost of
Ethernet connections comes down by a factor of 3 or more. However, there
are three missing pieces, that if available would make this solution ideal:
1) We need Telnet over LocalTalk (TOPS FlashTalk card) for light users.
I would not want to have several heavy users on the same LocalTalk segment
and still think they should go with a direct Ethernet connection. Please
let us know when NCSA Telnet will be avaiable for LocalTalk, Tim.
2) We need a serial port redirection utility for PCs that should work
similarly to TOPS NetPrint, which allows to redirect parallel port output.
Currently most PC users need a dedicated modem, even if they use it only
for less than one hour per month. We need a way for PCs to use the Shiva
NetModems or modems (and other serial devices, such as plotters) attached
to the ST3 MultiServer, R-Server, S-Server, etc.
3) We need EtherTalk or KIP drivers that would allow the use of TOPS,
QuickMail, etc. on PCs that already have a 3COM Ethernet board.
We would be grateful for any information on products that meet these needs
and are currently available or under development.
Wolfgang N. Naegeli
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6206
615-574-6143 (FTS 624-6143)