This is a long way to go, when Apple should have had the brains to put 
a floppy disk (at least an optional one) in the thing in the first 
place.
-Mar


Mike Millar wrote:
> 
> I got the following off another list, and thought someone here might be
> interested.
> 
> Hello!
> 
> I have finally established a wonderful student lab with 20 iMacs. (I also
> have a lab on a different floor with 20 7X00 Macs, being a mixture of 7600
> and 7300 machines.)
> 
> Trouble is, students are complaining about the lack of floppydrives.
> 
> Now, I could get a SuperDisk drive from Imation, and put it in the lab,
> either bolting it down or letting it move around as needed. But I don't
> like that solution.
> 
> My idea is to use an old LCII type machine or something, with a dedicated
> application, which needs to be developed.
> 
> I believe it should be possible to call an application "Finder" with the
> appropriate creator/type and have it launch instead of the Finder.
> 
> The floppystation application should do something like that.
> 
> All that the application should do is watch for DiskInserted events, and
> when a floppydisk is inserted it should ask for an AppleShare username and
> password. It should mount the users home folder and/or other volumes.
> (Depending on how this is meaningful in the setup. This should be a
> configuration option somehow.)
> 
> Then it should ask the user whether he wants to upload or download.
> 
> If he wants to upload, it should launch a virus scanner (Virex? just
> Disinfectant?) and scan the floppy inserted, and possibly do some other
> configurable tests. (Like, don't allow upload of certain types of files,
> APPL for example). Eject it if it has virus or is otherwise invalid) Then
> either upload everything on the floppy or offer the user the choice of
> selecting files to upload.
> 
> If he wants to download, the floppy is formatted (after a suitable
> warning), and the user is given the option to select files to download from
> his home directory, and possibly other AppleShare directories to which he
> has access. If the selected data can't fit on one floppy, compression could
> be automatic, as could file-splitting. If more floppies are necessary, a
> warning should be given.
> 
> PC-floppy support could be an additional option.
> 
> That's all this application should ever do. A user comes along, gets his
> files and goes home, or uploads his files and finds an iMac for working.
> 
> I'm a systems administrator, and I have just never found the time to do
> real Mac programming, although I have tried. So writing this application is
> just beyond me.
> 
> But I sure think with the iMac, that such an application would be a great
> success.
> 
> If you know an application that can do this already, let me know.
> 
> If not, this idea is free to use for any programmer who wants to do
> something with it, no strings attached. It would be my pleasure to function
> as a partner for testing and for hashing out the precise needs for interface
> and functionality. A courtesy copy would be great, but if you make this and
> want me to pay up to $100 for it like anybody else, I'll be happy to pay.
> 
> -Lasse  -  lassehp@...
> 
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