Multiple choice:
"It can read xxxx disks" means:
A. It has the physical capability to be able to handle the physical
encoding, if somebody were to write appropriate software to do so -
none currently exists.
B. It can read the physical disk, and has software that will
permit making an exact duplicate of the disk and/or creating
a file that contains an image used for replicating the disk.
C. It COULD transfer a byte for byte image of a file from certain
"alien" disk formats to and from a local disk of the host computer,
IFF somebody were to write such software (not currently in existence).
D. It has (or IS) software to transfer a byte for byte image of a
file from certain "alien" disk formats to and from a local disk of
the host computer. (XenoCopy, Media Master, Uniform, 22Disk)
E. It can "mount" disks of certain formats, and access files on
them with what appear to be "normal" OS operations (Uniform)
F. When it access a file on the disk of certain formats, it will
also translate formatting codes into those of your current aps
(open a Kaypro Wordstar file with Office Word XP)
With XenoCopy, I had to expend an enormous amount of effort
making it clear to people that it did category D above, NOT F.
(The Kaypro Wordstar file is copied into a PC Wordstar file)
The Cat Weasel appears to be able to do A, C, and maybe B.
There are way too many situations where use of the phrase
"can read xxxx disks" is ASSUMED to mean D, E, or F,
and there isn't always enough effort made to clarify!
The result is expectations of being able to use it for
things that it isn't ready for [YET?].
I just wish that NOBODY would EVER say "can read xxxx disks"
without clarifying which definition is intended.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin_at_xenosoft.com
XenoSoft http://www.xenosoft.com
PO Box 1236 (510) 558-9366
Berkeley, CA 94701-1236
On Sat, 24 Jan 2004, Zane H. Healy wrote:
> >General Error: The Media Contains an Unknown Filesystem
>
> I bought a Zorro2 card a few years ago, back when I was still playing with micro's. Personally I thought the product was SERIOUSLY misrepresented. They claimed it could read a whole slew of disk formats, when in reality the Amiga version of the board was able to read Amiga and C-64 floppies (and I think I might have gotten it to read DOS and Mac as well using some 3rd party drivers).
>
> While it might be physically capable of reading all the formats that they advertise, the drivers to read them don't exist.
>
> Having said that, you might want to investigate Linux support for the board, I think you might find it to be much better. Also, WinUAE, and some other emulators might support it.
>
> Zane
Received on Sat Jan 24 2004 - 19:29:52 GMT