Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!amdcad!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!BRL.MIL!abc
From: abc@BRL.MIL (Brint Cooper)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: networking Apple II's
Message-ID: <8809231024.aa01159@SMOKE.BRL.MIL>
Date: 23 Sep 88 14:24:17 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 28


	My wife's elementary school has 10 Apple IIe computers networked
in one room, a "computer lab."  They can boot from a central floppy
disk, or each can boot locally.  There is no special software required;
rather, specialized hardware is provided, including a two-disk
centralized disk drive, a ribbon cable from machine to machine, and a
little box at each machine to select local or centralized operation.  

	I don't know if this configuration will work with the Apple
II+.  However, if you are interested this far, I can find out who
supplies this "network" configuration.  It is not Apple, Inc.

	As to whether it's worth it, I'd think so.  Monitors can be had
for $100, even cheaper at hamfests and computer fairs.  Disk drives are
available for $77.00.  I have provided these to several clients; none
have had any trouble with them.  You might consider putting the
instructional machines in a small room somewhere, so that a teacher can
give a lesson to the entire class at one time.  With 15 machines, two
pupils to a machine, you can accommodate a 30-child class this way.  For
instructional purposes, this seems much preferable to one computer for
30 children.  This form of time-sharing is usually quite preferable to
one computer per class, because it's doubtful that any class will keep a
machine busy more than a fraction of the time anyhow.

	If you want more info, please let me know.

_Brint