Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!apple!mattd From: mattd@Apple.COM (Matt Deatherage) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple Subject: Re: Problems for a new IIGS user Message-ID: <36391@apple.Apple.COM> Date: 11 Nov 89 23:39:41 GMT References: <8911111239.aa09869@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> Organization: Apple Computer Inc, Cupertino, CA Lines: 37 In article <8911111239.aa09869@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> UD041948@VM1.NODAK.EDU (Joe Carlin) writes: >Better yet, does anyone know where to get information on _HOW_ to write >an FST? Or printer driver for that matter? Or is this just stuff Apple >likes to keep to itself? It seems rather anti-productive to me. Or >a CDEV? > >Joe FSTs, Apple keeps for itself. The internals of GS/OS allow easy addition of extra drivers, but adding a file system is so complex that, at least so far, changes have been required to GS/OS itself for suitable compatibility. Besides, can you imagine 20 people with DOS 3.3 FSTs, each of which interpreted (or stored) the expanded GS/OS parameters in a different way? Or dealt with non- 5.25" disks in a different way? Calamity! You think you have headaches NOW... Printer Drivers (and Port Drivers, which send printer information through given hardware) have been documented for the past 18 months in Apple IIgs Technical Notes #35 and #36. To my knowledge, no one has written printer drivers yet. (Claris' driver was based on Apple code which was, but is no longer, licensable; I haven't seen Bill Heineman's drivers Joe referred to but would encourage him to release them somehow.) The information has been there for a long time, but no one seems to want it. CDEV specifications are in the File Type Note for CDevs ($C7) released this September. The Technical Notes and File Type Notes are available for anonymous FTP from Apple's FTP site. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matt Deatherage, Apple Computer, Inc. | "The opinions expressed in this tome Send PERSONAL mail ONLY (please) to: | should not be construed to imply that Amer. Online: Matt DTS | Apple Computer, Inc., or any of its ThisNet: mattd@apple.com | subsidiaries, in whole or in part, ThatNet: (stuff)!ames!apple!mattd | have any opinion on any subject." Other mail by request only, please. | "So there." -----------------------------------------------------------------------------