Msg: 6139 *Conference*

11-23-95 09:39:02

From: RICHARD HANSON

To : TOD FYTEN

Subj: REPLY TO MSG #6138 (MAC)

In response...

 > It is possible to transfer files from both the Mac and
 > Apple // line of computers via the modem port using
 > standard communication software.  One may need a
 > null modem and will have to take some time to
 > match parameters, but it is possible.

It is more than possible.  Moving files by way of RS232 ports or anyother two
similar ports (parallel, RS442, etc) is one of the basic functions of all
digital computers; and there are six computer functions: input, process,
output, control, storage and data communications.

Note: There are only six system components to all digital computers but I will
leave that one alone unless asked.

Yes, for most folks, using standard communications software is the easiest way
to do this but there are other ways, as well.  These include: redirecting
application output through the specified port, using some kind of specalized
software, or personally programming something special.

One of my favorite tricks, of days gone by, was developped in response to the
old saw, "But our old computer isn't compatible with our new computer, and
there's no serial port or communications software.  We're going to have to
rekey everything ... boo hoo hoo waaa!  I thought, this is silly.  The
character set is the same. (When you know your fundamentals you can solve
almost anything.)  All we have to do is redirect the printer port output of the
old computer into either the printer port input of the new, via a redirect from
the operating system, or through the serial port via a parallel to serial
conversion device.  A major sub-set to this process is to make sure that we
match the character set or data type, i.e. ASCII, HEX, OCTAL, BCD, EBCDIC.
Then, just open a file on the new computer, looking for input from whatever
device we choose, hit the <print> key on the old computer, and ... do lunch!

So there you go ... bada-bing, bada-boom ... we-be computer geeks!

All the best, and a big Thanksgiving to you and yours from me and mine.  -Rick-