Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!husc6!mailrus!uwmcsd1!lakesys!macak
From: macak@lakesys.UUCP (Jim Macak)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Mac II upgrade & an alternative
Summary: FDFH Reads _and_ Writes IBM!
Message-ID: <1071@lakesys.UUCP>
Date: 2 Oct 88 16:18:53 GMT
References: <670@stech.UUCP> <76000288@p.cs.uiuc.edu>
Reply-To: macak@lakesys.UUCP (Jim Macak)
Distribution: na
Organization: Lake Systems - Milwaukee, WI
Lines: 52

In article <76000288@p.cs.uiuc.edu> gillies@p.cs.uiuc.edu writes:

>Is it really true that the Apple superdrive won't WRITE MS-DOS
>floppies -- it can only read them?  Is this restriction in hardware?

>If so, then I guess all these claims of "an open MAC architecture"
>were merely lip-service, because Apple intends to keep a closed
>architecture for as long as possible.  The evil empire strikes again!

Sheesh, how long is this rumor going to be perpetuated?!?  Here is the correct
info, straight from Apple's press release:

-----
Floppy Disk High Density (FDHD)
 
Apple's new FDHD floppy disk drive can  store 1.44MB of data on a 3.5-inch
floppy disk.  Along with the new controller chip, (SWIM, for Super Wozniak
Integrated Machine) the drive can also read, write and format 400K and 800K
disks from existing Macintosh computers and read files created under Apple II
ProDOS operating system.
 
The FDHD can also read and write 3.5-inch MS-DOS or OS/2 diskettes, and
with the help of Apple File Exchange (part of System 6.0.2) shipped with the
Macintosh IIx, can transfer files to Macintosh disks.  The new drive supports
both 720KB and 1.44MB  formats.
 
Many leading Macintosh applications can already read and write many of the
popular MS-DOS file formats.  A Microsoft Excel file, for instance, can read
and write the .WKS format used by Lotus 1-2-3.  Apple File Exchange, when used
in conjunction with any of the available third-party translators, helps
translate many of the other popular MS-DOS files into their Macintosh
counterparts.  Thus, users can take WordPerfect files from their Zenith
portables and convert them to Word 3.0 documents on their Macintosh IIx.
 
The 1.44MB FDHD will also be available as an upgrade for Macintosh II
owners later this year.
 
-----

To repeat (in case anyone missed it:

"The FDHD can also read and write 3.5-inch MS-DOS or OS/2 diskettes..."

I hope this settles clarifies the confusion.

Jim

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Jim -->  macak@lakesys.UUCP (Jim Macak)  {Standard disclaimer, nothin' fancy!}
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