🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1i9nvrINNk52@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> punch@cps.msu.edu (Bill Punch)  
writes:
> I'm looking for some comments by people who have used a NeXT machine in a Mac
> environment (running appletalk, providing file service to Macs, etc.). We are
> considering buying a NeXT (which I like a lot) as a file server and mail 
> server for a small lab of Macs, presently running apple-ethershare. Any 
> experience would be very helpful, thanks in advance.

NextStep 3.0 comes with client software for Appletalk, but this won't help you  
for using a NeXT as a Mac server.  We use a Gatorbox CS running GatorShare and  
GatorPrint.  This allows Macs to access NeXT file systems that have been  
mounted with NFS which is part of the standard NeXT distribution. It also  
allows NeXT's to print to Apple Laserprinters (this can also be done with the  
NeXT Appletalk client software). This system works fine as a backup for our  
Novell 3.11 server.  It would probably be adequate for a small network, but the  
overall performance of a Novell system is much better in my experience.  There  
are other 3rd party solutions that allow sharing of Mac and NeXT resources.  I  
haven't tried them.

- jim@lennon.claremont.edu

In article <1i9nvrINNk52@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> punch@cps.msu.edu (Bill Punch) writes:
>I'm looking for some comments by people who have used a NeXT machine in a Mac
>environment (running appletalk, providing file service to Macs, etc.). We are
>considering buying a NeXT (which I like a lot) as a file server and mail server
>for a small lab of Macs, presently running apple-ethershare. Any experience would
>be very helpful, thanks in advance.

The best product, in my opinion, for a mainly Mac environment with the 
occasional NeXT is from IPT and is called uShare/uPrint. These products turn
a NeXT into a non-dedicated AppleShare server (can't be a client at the 
same time though- i.e. you must disable NeXT's client Appletalk product) and
enable you to print to printers hooked up to Mac's (from the NeXT) or better
still to a printer hooked up to the NeXT via a spooler which you select
from the Chooser. For example, one could get an HP 550C and with Dots (a
printer driver which handles the HP inkjets and others) you could select it
from the Chooser and the Mac would think it was printing to a colour Postscript
printer! Everything is pretty plug and play.
 
There are 2 down sides in my view:

(1) printers on the Mac side need to be either on Ethertalk or you need a
program like Liason or Apple's Internet Router (no hardware gateway required).

(2) You must disable NeXT's Mac client software. Hopefully they will fix this.
 
In any case I have had this running with a rather interesting collection of
Mac's, a GS and a 486. IPT's uShare uses Appletalk, not NFS, and it's 
really impressive in being able to handle situations which they don't even
claim to support (such as a 486- running Copstalk, and a GS running System 6.0).

I really suggest you have a look at it. There's also a review in NeXTWorld.
 
Philip McDunnough
University of Toronto
philip@utstat.toronto.edu