Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!physics.utoronto.ca!neufeld
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
From: neufeld@physics.utoronto.ca (Christopher Neufeld)
Subject: Re: Ultima V, Dos 3.3 RWTS, and Vulcan 40 meger.
Message-ID: <1990May28.183823.11052@helios.physics.utoronto.ca>
Organization: University of Toronto Physics/Astronomy/CITA
References: <2852@crash.cts.com>
Date: 28 May 90 22:38:23 GMT

In article <2852@crash.cts.com> rhood@pro-gsplus.cts.com (Robert Hood) writes:
> 
>I suggest that, since Apple is apparently trying to shift over to the 3.5"
>disk as a "standard" as opposed to the 5.25" format, companies that make
>copy-protected programs should provide a way to put their 5.25" products on
>3.5" diskettes.
>
>The method I have in mind is simple.  The company makes a 3.5" disk that
>effectively works as a small hard disk: it has five partitions, each 144K in
>size.  144 times 5 = 720K, leaving 80K free for a menu program and a copier,
>and/or extra room in the partition for 36 or 40 track disks.
>
   Well, I would be willing to relax this even further. Rather than
providing a way for a person to copy a commercial program to a 3"1/2
disk (and possibly promote profligate, pernicious piracy), why not, to
take the example of Ultima V, allow the data disks (there are seven of
these) to be transferred to 3"1/2 floppy. The boot disk would still be
copy protected, and would boot in the 5"1/4 drive as a variant on the
key disk system, but the data would be on the 3"1/2 drive to cut down on
disk switching.
   True, seven 5"1/4 disks won't fit on a single 3"1/2 disk, but maybe
the disks aren't all full. If they are, then perhaps a second 3"1/2 disk
would be necessary. Ideally those of us with ][GS computers could copy
some of the other material into the RAM disk where it would be available
at high speed.
   The problem with this, at least for Ultima, is that it seems awkward
without a fully functioning ProDOS, while Ultima V implements a fake
ProDOS which surely doesn't have the hooks for 3"1/2 or RAM disk use.

>| Robert Hood - programmer | InterNet: rhood@pro-gsplus.cts.com               |
>|          RH 880          | ProLine:  rhood@pro-gsplus (or) pro-gsplus!rhood |



-- 
 Christopher Neufeld....Just a graduate student  | He's the kind of person
 neufeld@helios.physics.utoronto.ca              | who'd follow you into a
 cneufeld@pro-generic.cts.com          Ad astra! | revolving door and come
 "Don't edit reality for the sake of simplicity" | out first.