Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!claris!peirce
From: peirce@claris.com (Michael Peirce)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Duplicate a HD over Appletalk?
Message-ID: <11230@claris.com>
Date: 4 Sep 90 18:06:13 GMT
References: <6252@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> <11215@claris.com> <33437@cup.portal.com>
Reply-To: peirce@claris.com (Michael Peirce)
Organization: Claris Corporation, Santa Clara CA
Lines: 48

In article <33437@cup.portal.com> ts@cup.portal.com (Tim W Smith) writes:
>Is there a good way, with Public Folder, to make your public folder be
>on a disk that is not present when the Public Folder INIT runs?  I've
>been using the following kludge:
>
... description of how to make a RAM disk be a Public Folder...
>
>This is sort of a pain.  Is there a better way?
>
>						Tim Smith
>
>ps: While I'm asking about Public Folder, how does it compare to TOPS
>and Appleshare as far as relative overhead?  That is, suppose I am trying
>to compare two ethernet drivers.  I transfer a bunch of files with
>Public Folder and determine the transfer rate using the first driver.
>Then I switch to the second driver and do the same thing.  Let's say
>the second driver is N% faster.
>
>If instead of Public Folder, I was using TOPS or Appleshare, would
>I expect the second driver to also be N% faster?

I'm afraid I don't know of a better way to get Public Folder to see a disk
that isn't around at boot time.  If Public Folder can't find the designated
Public Folder at INIT time it doesn't load itself into your system heap.  This
has the benefit that it if you don't have a PF, no system resources are
consumed.  The down side is that there is no way to change the PF later.

At one time I had planned a follow-up release that would add in these features,
but System 7 FileSharing should do a better job of it and still be free.

As far as overhead, I'm really not sure about this.  PF is actually pretty
efficient.  It uses Apple Transaction Protocol (ATP) for it's transfers and
is about as efficient as you can be using this protocol.  You *might* be able
to run a little fast using another protocol, but not much really.  Both TOPS
and AppleShare have to worry about more infomation than PF (they keep files
open and such, whereas PF simple blasts the file across the wire as fast as
it can).


 Claris Corp. | Michael R. Peirce -- author of Public Folder
 -------------+--------------------------------------
              | 5201 Patrick Henry Drive MS-C4
              | Box 58168
              | Santa Clara, CA 95051-8168
              | (408) 987-7319
              | AppleLink: peirce1
              | Internet:  peirce@claris.com
              | uucp:      {ames,decwrl,apple,sun}!claris!peirce