HOW DOES PSF/6000 OR PSF/2 SUPPORT APPLE MAC'S OUTPUT (IE VIA APPLETALK OR ETHERTALK)?

ITEM: RTA000051905



                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
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QUESTION:                                                                       
How does PSF/6000 or PSF/2 support APPLE MAC's output (ie via appletalk         
or ethertalk)?                                                                  
                                                                                
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A: I can answer for PSF/2 and will forward on to my PSF/6000 counterpart        
for PSF/6000.                                                                  
                                                                                
PSF/2 will support Apple PostScript. To get the PostScript to the PSF/2         
system you require either LAN Server Macintosh support, or a NetWare            
server with Macintosh support. This can be either ethertalk (ethernet)          
or tokentalk (token-ring).                                                      
                                                                                
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A: I will have to ask around the AIX group here and see if I can get any        
information.  Since PSF/6000 is just a backend to the AIX spool and             
doesn't get involved in any communications, whatever it takes to get            
valid print jobs from a Mac client to a RISC System/6000's spool should         
work with PSF/6000.  Normally, that has been through the LPR/LPD                
application of TCP/IP.  So one thing to look at might be the availability       
of TCP/IP for the Macs.                                                        
                                                                                
I also have a chart here on RISC connectivity (G326-0474) that shows            
Macs and PCs on an Ethernet or token-ring being able to connect to              
a RISC through AppleTalk, with the footnote that the AppleTalk                  
connectivity is "via HELIOS USA, Syntax, Inc., Pacer Software, Inc.".           
I'm not sure exactly what that means other than there's a third party           
product involved; it says nothing about directing print, yea or nay.            
                                                                                
While there is a Mac requester available for LAN Server in the PC               
arena, the LAN Server for AIX Version 1.1 (announcement letter 294-737)         
makes no mention of a Mac requester, so that's no help.                         
                                                                                
If your customer has Novell in place, they could add FLEX/IP to provide         
the LPR/LPD TCP/IP support, but I wouldn't go that route unless they           
already have Novell in place¢                                                   
                                                                                
I'll look around and see if I can get any additional information; I'll          
update this item with any results.  Leaving open...                             
                                                                                
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A: I checked the AIX POWER Solutions catalog (GC67-0210) for the                
vendor names I mentioned above. There is an entry for HELIOS ETHERSHARE         
from HELIOS USA which reads:                                                    
  "HELIOS ETHERSHARE is a complete AppleTalk network for UNIX RISC              
   computers. It provides AppleShare(TM) services, terminal, mail,              
   routing and administration for Macintosh connected to an AppleTalk           
   network."                                                                    
HELIOS USA is listed at 10601 S. Deanza Blvd., Suite 103, Cupertino, CA        
95014, (408) 864-0690.                                                          
                                                                                
The entry for Pacer Software:                                                   
  "PacerShare is UNIX software that enables an RS/6000 to function as           
   an AppleShare-compatible file server for Apple Macintosh users over          
   Ethernet. The UNIX file system is viewed from the Macintosh as a             
   series of hierarchical volumes, with UNIX directories representing           
   Macintosh folders and files. PacerShare also enables AIX and Macintosh       
   users to share files."  There's also an entry for a Data Access              
   server.                                                                      
Their address is Pacer Software, Inc., 1900 West Park Drive, Suite 280,         
Westborough, MA 01581, (508) 898-3300.                                          
                                                                                
The listing for Syntax Inc. is for their TotalNET(TM) software:                
  "The TotalNET family of networking software products fully uses               
   UNIX as the scalable enterprise LAN server. TotalNET operates with           
   other UNIX processes like databases, communication gateways, and             
   network files systems. TotalNET is compatible with Microsoft's LAN           
   Manager, Apple's Macintosh, and Novell's NetWare products. TotalNET          
   product elements make it possible to connect UNIX computers with             
   DOS, Windows, Windows NT, NetWare, OS/2, Unix, and Macintosh                 
   computers."                                                                  
Their address is 840 S 333rd Street, Federal Way, WA, 98003,                    
(206) 838-2626.                                                                 
                                                                                
I have no personal experience with or knowledge of these products, and          
do not know about their network printing capabilities.  You or your             
customer should contact them directly for specific information. As far         
as PSF/6000 is concerned, the bottom line is getting a file (of                 
acceptable input datastream format) onto the AIX spool for PSF/6000 to          
pick up.  The alternative is file transferring or mounting the file             
to be printed, and then issuing the print command at the RISC.                  
                                                                                
I hope that helps.                                                              
                                                                                
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This item was created from library item Q675487      FDZTF                      
                                                                                
Additional search words:                                                        
AFP APPLE APPLETALK ETHERTALK FDZTF JAN95 MAC OUTPUT OZIBM OZNEW               
PRINT PRINTABLE PRINTER PRINTING PRT PSF PSF6000 SUPPORT SUPPORTED              
6000                                                                            
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                               


WWQA: ITEM: RTA000051905 ITEM: RTA000051905
Dated: 01/1995 Category: PSF6000
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