Msg: 5890 *Conference*

07-17-95 14:47:27

From: RICHARD HANSON

To : HAROLD ARNOLD

Subj: REPLY TO MSG #5889 (100DUET?)

In response to your question...

 > Reading through the catalog, 100duet was conspicuous by its absence.
 > Why did you decide to stop selling it?

The product 100duet was great!  This is true.  But, getting the cables and
keeping up with the code changes to meet all the system versions from Apple
Computer Corp. was not fun.

Getting reliable cables (originally an Apply Writer I cable) was a nightmare.
Not all cable manufactuers make the cable the same way ... don't ask me why.
And, if I wanted consistancy I'd have to have them built to my spects.  And, to
meet the price I'd have to manufacture hundreds at a time.  Sorry to say but
100duet sales ... or lack of them ... just didn't merrit the expense.

Code changes were another story.  To make a long story short, the author, Scott
Anderson, just could not see spending hundreds of hours rewriting and testing
the duet series each time Apple changed their mind.  Scott, like myself, have
jobs.  Sales of Apple Mac products represents about 1/2 of 1% of my overall
sales.  Industry wide, Mac sales represents only 5% of the total personal
computer market ... not worth anyone getting involved ... especially when they
have to put food on the table.


 > Whenever anyone asks how to get data from a Model T to a Mac I
 > always recommend 100duet, and give him Club 100's phone number.

Looks like you're going to have to think up a whole new recommendation package
for your Mac-in-friends.  Here's my suggestions:

1) Get the THE WHOLE ENCHILADA series document entitled "Computer-2-Computer
File Transfers" and follow along.

2) Get an old DOS computer, equip it with Lapdos II for file transfers between
Model "T"s and/or TPDD/2s.  Then,

a. use either Laplink Mac to trade files between the DOS and Mac computers, or

b. save file to HD disk on the DOS computer then use the SmartDrive feature
under System 7 to read DOS disks from the Mac, or

c. run Lapdos II under the MSDOS emulator on a Power Mac.

3) Upload files from your Model "T" to an online service, then use your Mac to
download the files.

4) Set your Mac up as a host (BBS) and, 

a. use a null-modem cable and transfer files via any Mac terminal program and
your Model "T"s telcom program ... or from directly in a .DO file (see THE
WHOLE ENCHILADA serice document mentioned above)

b. call it via phone lines and modems.

---

See Harold, there are choices ... lot's of them.  100duet was just one of the
many choices available but now it is gone.  Perhaps, at long last, Mac users
will finally have to learn ... to use their thinking caps.  -Rick-