dank@stealth.usc.edu (Dan King) (04/23/91)
As I sit here in an office filled with Macs and wait for the person next to me to get done using the only machine that has a modem, I'm struck with (what I feel is a) fantastic idea for a program/init/rdev/ whatever: SerialShare. It works like this: One user (say, the one with a modem) goes to his Control Panel (or Chooser?) and tells it to publish serial port A. Then, another user goes to his Chooser and tells it to attach to this published serial port and map it onto his serial port A (ie, replace his port A with the published port A. You could also just make it available through the Comm Toolbox, or whatever). Then, the second user could just call up a term program without switching machines. Has this been done before? If so, where can I get the program? If not, does anyone have any suggestions/caveats I should know before I start wasting time hacking on this? Any information would be much appreciated. Thanks! dank
davids@mondo.engin.umich.edu (David Snearline) (04/23/91)
In article <32168@usc> dank@usc.edu writes: > > >As I sit here in an office filled with Macs and wait for the person >next to me to get done using the only machine that has a modem, I'm >struck with (what I feel is a) fantastic idea for a program/init/rdev/ >whatever: SerialShare. > >It works like this: One user (say, the one with a modem) goes to his >Control Panel (or Chooser?) and tells it to publish serial port A. >Then, another user goes to his Chooser and tells it to attach to >this published serial port and map it onto his serial port A (ie, >replace his port A with the published port A. You could also just make >it available through the Comm Toolbox, or whatever). Then, the second >user could just call up a term program without switching machines. > >Has this been done before? If so, where can I get the program? If >not, does anyone have any suggestions/caveats I should know before I >start wasting time hacking on this? Any information would be much >appreciated. > >Thanks! >dank I am working on a DRVR/INIT that does exactly what you describe. The DRVR will replace the .Ain/.Aout driver and talk with the server INIT via ADSP. Unfortunately, it's finals time around here so the project is on temporary hold. E-mail me if you want more details. -- David Snearline University of Michigan Engineering davids@mondo.engin.umich.edu
ech@cbnewsk.att.com (ned.horvath) (04/23/91)
In article <32168@usc> dank@usc.edu writes: >As I sit here in an office filled with Macs and wait for the person >next to me to get done using the only machine that has a modem, I'm >struck with (what I feel is a) fantastic idea for a program/init/rdev/ >whatever: SerialShare. >It works like this: One user (say, the one with a modem) goes to his >Control Panel (or Chooser?) and tells it to publish serial port A. >Then, another user goes to his Chooser and tells it to attach to >this published serial port and map it onto his serial port A (ie, >replace his port A with the published port A. You could also just make >it available through the Comm Toolbox, or whatever). Then, the second >user could just call up a term program without switching machines. It's been done: ComServe, from InfoSphere. But, it hasn't been maintained: it doesn't work in system 6.0.5, on a Mac Plus, at least. I don't know if InfoSphere is even trying to be in this business anymore: they sold Liaison to Farallon, and got rid of MacServe altogether. But you never know...anybody got any better intelligence about 'em? =Ned Horvath= ehorvath@attmail.com