tope@enea.se (Tommy Petersson) (03/13/91)
In article <91070.232339JKT100@psuvm.psu.edu- JKT100@psuvm.psu.edu (JKT) writes:
-
->I also wonder why readysoft used a special disformat for Mac disks
->instead of reading Amiga disks.
-
-ReadySoft did a lot of things that may seem strange, but they did
-them in the name of speed and compatibility. With the disks, you
-have to understand that the Mac uses a mighty strange disk format.
-Mac drives are even variable speed. ReadySoft created a special
-disk format for compatiblity with disk I/O routines that expected
-a Mac floppy. And I congratulate ReadySoft on their achievement.
-I have been able to sector-edit A-Max format floppies and run
-Norton Utilities on them, all without ANY problem. Kudos!!
-
I've asked this question before, but here seems like I've found a
person who might be able to give an answer. The question:
Is an AMAX emulator for Macintosh possible? No kidding, what I want
is a program (maybe similar to Apple File Exchange that permits a
SuperDrive equipped Mac to write MS-DOS disks) that can read/write
AMAX format disks. We have a Mac ci and a Mac si, both with SuperDrives.
Tommy Petersson
tope@enea.senut@wet.UUCP (Adam Tilghman) (03/17/91)
Here's the "README" from an archive pulled offof comp.binaries.atari.st -
it describes a product which allows a superDrive-equipped Mac to read/write
Spectre format disks (I think that AMAX can use Spectre/Magic Sac formats?).
8>- Cut Here 8>- Cut Here 8>- Cut Here 8>- Cut Here 8>- Cut Here
The revolutionary MACEXCHANGER ShareWare program (TT approved!!)
================================================================
Date: aug 25, 1990 (first revision)
From: Hubert Nooijen
--------------------
I've done it again! It is now possible to use Mac diskettes on the ST!
With MACEXCHANGER, you can transfer your Spectre diskettes to a special
720KB
Mac format which can be read or written by ANY Mac with a FDHD drive without
any trouble! This is a high-density disk drive (also known as SuperDrive)
which
can read or write standard MS-DOS diskettes (using appropriate software), as
well as the normal Mac (GCR) formats.
It is also possible to transfer a 720K Mac disk to Spectre, thus you have
virtually no need for special hardware to exchange disks with a Macintosh!
As Apple delivers all current Macintoshes with a SuperDrive (except the
obsolete Mac Plus, and probably the Mac SE), the future of special hardware
for reading/writing GCR diskettes on the ST looks very dim...
This program is distributed in a LIMITED version under a variant of the
ShareWare system. It means, you may try it out for a while and copy it to
anybody you like; but if you want to USE the program (for some purpose), you
have to pay for it (like any other ShareWare program). By paying the
ShareWare
fee of Hfl. 50,- for the FULL version of MACEXCHANGER, you will receive the
full version of the program and - as a registered user - you will be
notified
of any product updates.
If the limited version of MACEXCHANGER is sufficient enough for you, you can
also pay Hfl. 25,- (ShareWare fee for the LIMITED version). In that case,
you
will not receive the full version, but only become a registered user.
NOTES:
* The limited version of MACEXCHANGER can only convert Spectre to Mac, not
the other way around. Nor gives it the possibility to format a 720K Mac
disk (menu option F4), to be used on that computer (The Mac refuses to
format
a 720K - MFM - disk suitable for the ST...).
* The current version of MACEXCHANGER supports only double sided HFS disks.
* Because the Mac disk capacity is 80KB less than Spectre's, you can lose
some information residing in the last 80K of a Spectre disk when
converting
a 800K Spectre disk to 720K Mac. The Mac 'sees' that the disk contains
invalid data and wants to repair it ("This disk needs minor repairs").
Don't worry; all it does is rewrite a new Desktop file.
Also, MACEXCHANGER warns you about the disk's size (with the option to
resume
or cancel).
To prevent such problems, I've included the option to format a 720KB
Spectre
disk (menu option F2). It is in all respects a normal Spectre disk, except
that you can store 80KB less on it...
To transfer a disk from Spectre to Mac, press function key F3; to transfer
from
Mac to Spectre, press F1. If MACEXCHANGER complains about the disk size,
either
the source disk is (or has been) a 800K one, or you have inserted the wrong
disk (Spectre instead of Mac, or vice versa).
MACEXCHANGER is a copyrighted piece of software; you are granted to copy the
program to anybody you wish, as long as the program and this document are
kept
together. MACEXCHANGER may not be sold commercially, or included in
commercial
products without written permission from the author.
ShareWare payments can be made by sending Hfl 50,- (or Hfl. 25,- for the
limited version) to PostGiro nr. 1884895 of mr. H. W. Nooijen, mentioning
"MACEXCHANGER fee" or by sending a check or money order to the address
listed
below. For foreign customers, the fees are as follows:
FULL version LIMITED
------------------------------
Germany DM 75,- DM 37,50
USA $ 40 $ 20
Others $ 40 $ 20
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to write me! My address
is:
Hubert Nooijen
Diamantpad 18
2628 SC Delft
The Netherlands
PostGiro Account nr. 1884895
(PostBank)
Other Bugbasher products:
STARTUP.PS - Make UltraScript print PostScript documents from the Mac.
ALADCONV & SPECINT - Two programs in one package: ALADCONV for converting
your
old Aladin diskettes to Spectre, and SPECINIT for all your Spectre
formatting
needs.
(eek! sorry about the linefeeds, but living in the MS-DOS world
has its advantages :-)
--
== Adam G. Tilghman - Trendy Quote: "Beware of Greeks bearing Trojans!" ==
=============== Disclaimer? My employer? What, me work? ================