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Author: Topic: AppleTalk
 Matt
 
 

 Posts: 107
 Registered:
   2003-02-16

  mstrange@mac.com
  
  		 Posted: Feb 21, 2003 4:58:22 pm    Profile email Matt Visit

The AppleTalk code in Helix is very old, and very hard coded. To bring it forward to OS X would be a monumental task. To take it cross platform would be... impossible.

We are currently proposing to drop AppleTalk support altogether in Helix 6.0. We expect this to be a significant impediment for some locations.

The question for disucssion is this: how important is AppleTalk? Should we attempt to create a "Classic" version of Helix 6 that runs under the Classic Mac OS, thereby supporting AppleTalk, or continue to sell and support Helix 5.1 for customers who do not want to manage a TCP/IP network?

Summary of discussion to this point: ("Thank you" to Sven, Paul, Wade, Dan, and Lee)

  • Votes so far are 5-0 that removing AT is OK.

  • Concerns voiced re: printing to AppleTalk printers. This will not be an issue, as the Mac OS handles the communication at that level. If your Mac can see the printer, Helix will be able to print to it. Only if Apple makes it impossible will it become so.

  • Concerns re: Osmosis (and by extension all AppleEvent) communications. A: The AE protocol works over TCP/IP, so unless a third party specifically did something outside the norm, it should work. Ultimately it will be the responsibility of the third party vendors to qualify their products for Helix 6.

  • Comments regarding the performance of TCP/IP in Helix 5: We've had a code house that specializes in networking look at the Helix 5 code and they concur: it needs to be replaced. Since it will be the only communication protocol in Helix 6, we absolutely know that it has to be rock solid and that performance must equal or exceed that of the existing AppleTalk implementation.

  • Will Helix Clients 'self-discover' Servers or will users have to type IP addresses?: Helix 5 uses NSL, Rendezvous is OS X only. We have to investigate how to make sure self-discovery remains viable for both flavors of the OS.

  • For sites that simply don't want to deal with TCP/IP, we will continue to sell and support Helix 5.

    • I think that reflects all of the comments posted to date. If I missed anything, I apologize. Please restate it.

    - Edited by Matt on: Apr 17, 2003 2:00:29 pm

    Matt Strange
    Helix Tech Support
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