Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!apple!dlyons
From: dlyons@Apple.COM (David Lyons)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Writing a Custom FST
Message-ID: <34651@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 12 Sep 89 00:42:32 GMT
References: <8909092140.AA18977@trout.nosc.mil>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA
Lines: 53

In article <8909092140.AA18977@trout.nosc.mil> lhaider@pro-sol.cts.com (Lawrence Haider) writes:
>Network Comment: to #10844 by dlyons@apple.com
>
>>the policy on FSTs is that Apple writes them all.  (Dave Lyons)
>
>If Apple must write all of the FSTs, why are they so slow in providing a
>decent collection of FSTs that would be useful for their end users.  Just the
>basics for MS-DOS and Mac file system translation would be more than useful
>for anyone (like me) who must use more than just the //gs in their day to day
>business and personal lives.

I'm in the somewhat frustrating position of having to defend a policy that I
didn't invent, without being able to say much beyond "I can't discuss any
unannounced products we may or may not be working on."

(By the way, which hardware out there can physically read MS-DOS disks on
a GS?  Can GS software read them through the PC Transporter?  Is there
anything else that can?)

>Why not let third parties develope FSTs, even if they may become incompatible?

For one thing, there's more to it than that.  It's perfectly conceivable that
if FST information were available, 3rd parties actually trying to write them
would find that changes were required to GS/OS itself (and/or parts of the
toolbox, Finder, etc), to allow for the peculiarities of the new file system.

FSTs *look* like they're as self-contained as device drivers are, but they
aren't.

>                                             [...]  It all sound like
>twisted logic and a need to "control" the market on Apple's part.

Yes, it's a conspiracy.  APPLE WRITES OWN SYSTEM SOFTWARE!  AREA RESIDENTS
FLEE IN TERROR!  :-)

> [...]  BTW, Morgan Davis (the one who brought up the
>question) is VERY knowledgable about Apple IIs (in case you didn't know), and
>is one of the few programmers who I feel would be responsible enough [...]

Yes, I know Morgan--his intelligence and responsibility aren't in question.

In an ideal future, FSTs would become more self-contained and more permanently
defined, the way device drivers are now.  I have no idea when or whether this
will happen.
-- 

 --Dave Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc.          |   DAL Systems
   AppleLink--Apple Edition: DAVE.LYONS      |   P.O. Box 875
   AppleLink--Personal Edition: Dave Lyons   |   Cupertino, CA 95015-0875
   GEnie: D.LYONS2 or DAVE.LYONS         CompuServe: 72177,3233
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   My opinions are my own, not Apple's.