Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!gatech!mcnc!decvax!dartvax!eleazar.dartmouth.edu!earleh
From: earleh@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Earle R. Horton)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Direct Mac to LaserWriter connectio
Message-ID: <15007@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU>
Date: 13 Aug 89 20:35:19 GMT
References: <4251@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> <141200071@cdp>
Sender: news@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU
Reply-To: earleh@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Earle R. Horton)
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
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In article <141200071@cdp> sklein@cdp.UUCP writes:
>
>>It is possible to connect a LaserWriter directly to a Mac using a round
>>8 pin to round 8 pin cable, thereby avoiding the extra cost of two LocalTalk
>
>Since this seems to be widely known, and easy to do, why does APDA sell
>an Asynchronous LaserWriter driver for the Mac?  What possible use does
>this product have?
> -shabtai

Here is one possible use:

       	       	|-----|
		| MAC |-------\
		|-----|	       \     |----------|
				\----|          |	 |----|
		                     |  SWITCH  |--------| LW |
		                /----| 	       	|	 |----|
	    |---------|	       /     |----------|
            | BRAND X |-------/
	    |---------|

Switches that will connect two or more computers, one at a time, to
the same peripheral can be an economical solution in some situations.
If the cost of outfitting BRAND X with a LocalTalk interface is
several times that of the serial line switch, then the Asynchronous
LaserWriter driver might be just the ticket.

Earle R. Horton