Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!mcnc!ecsvax!ugogan
From: ugogan@ecsvax.UUCP (Jim Gogan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.tandy
Subject: Re: what is the TandyLink board?
Keywords: cheap LAN
Message-ID: <6619@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: 7 Mar 89 13:16:14 GMT
References: <107@toybox.UUCP>
Reply-To: ugogan@ecsvax.uncecs.edu.UUCP (Jim Gogan)
Distribution: usa
Organization: UNC - Chapel Hill
Lines: 22


Simply put, the TandyLink board is an AppleTalk/LocalTalk for PCs.
The equivalent of Apple's LocalTalk connector box is built onto
the card itself.  Advantage: you don't have to spend the extra
money for a LocalTalk connector.  Disadvantage (big): you then
have to use Apple's cabling system, as opposed to using
Farallon's PhoneNet and RJ-11 connectors/phone cable.
However, inasmuch as the card seems to run just fine with
products such as TOPS, for a small group environment where
(1) you don't have to run a lot of cables & can more or less
daisy chain computers together (2) all you're doing with the
net is primarily moving small/moderate size files between
micros and (3) especially if you've also got Macs, it's not
a bad little network adapter (esp. at the price).  Keep
in mind, however, the relatively low bit rate of LocalTalk
(approx. 230,000 bps).
-- Jim Gogan / Univ. of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
-- 
     Jim Gogan                       MAIL:ugogan@ecsvax.uncecs.edu
     Microcomputing Support Center
     University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
     Chapel Hill, NC  27599