Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnewsm!cbnewsk!ech
From: ech@cbnewsk.att.com (ned.horvath)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Serial port sharing?  Hmmm....
Message-ID: <1991Apr22.220348.1262@cbnewsk.att.com>
Date: 22 Apr 91 22:03:48 GMT
References: <1991Apr22.212556.2774@engin.umich.edu>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 23

In article <32168@usc> dank@usc.edu writes:

>As I sit here in an office filled with Macs and wait for the person
>next to me to get done using the only machine that has a modem, I'm
>struck with (what I feel is a) fantastic idea for a program/init/rdev/
>whatever: SerialShare.

>It works like this: One user (say, the one with a modem) goes to his
>Control Panel (or Chooser?) and tells it to publish serial port A.
>Then, another user goes to his Chooser and tells it to attach to 
>this published serial port and map it onto his serial port A (ie,
>replace his port A with the published port A.  You could also just make
>it available through the Comm Toolbox, or whatever).  Then, the second
>user could just call up a term program without switching machines.

It's been done: ComServe, from InfoSphere.  But, it hasn't been maintained:
it doesn't work in system 6.0.5, on a Mac Plus, at least.  I don't know
if InfoSphere is even trying to be in this business anymore: they sold
Liaison to Farallon, and got rid of MacServe altogether.  But you never
know...anybody got any better intelligence about 'em?

=Ned Horvath=
ehorvath@attmail.com