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From: farrier@Apple.COM (Cary Farrier)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: More on File System Translators (FSTs)
Keywords: FSTs
Message-ID: <4454@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 29 Sep 89 07:21:13 GMT
References: <404@fawlty.towers.oz>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 21

In article <404@fawlty.towers.oz> johnmac@fawlty.towers.oz (John MacLean) writes:
>Why has Apple released a CD-ROM FST and an Appleshare FST but has
>not provided DOS 3.3, or MAC (MAC should be very simple given the
>back end of the Appleshare FST could be copied)?

	It's not that simple, because the Appleshare FST knows
	nothing about the HFS disk structure used on Macintosh
	volumes.  The AppleShare FST is a front end to a 
	protocol called AFP (AppleTalk Filing Protocol), which
	is a high level network protocol consisting mainly of
	commands such as "create a new file" or "duplicate this
	file".  These commands are sent to a file server via
	AppleTalk, which then does what it pleases with them.
	The file server doesn't need to be a Macintosh, it just
	has to know how to speak AFP.

Cary Farrier
-- 
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| Cary Farrier | farrier@apple.com       |
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