--- Forwarded Message from "John H. Stewart" <[log in to unmask]> ---
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 19:14:11 -0400
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]>
>From: "John H. Stewart" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #6101 Apple OSX
------------------ Looks as though there may be a problem with NT that there isn't with 2000
This is from what seems to me to be a useful site (http://www.macosxhints.com)
>>>>
--- Excerpt:
We're experiencing a similar problem at work. Our file server is an NT box with AppleTalk services enabled so all the non-OS X Mac clients can use it, but we found out the hard way that OS X users can't see it anymore. Turns out the problem is that NT doesn't support AppleTalk over TCP/IP, which is the only way that OS X handles it.
Our only solution is to beg the server admin to upgrade to Windows 2K Server, which can handle AppleTalk over TCP/IP. In the meantime, we're booting to 9.1 to access those files. :-(
--- end of excerpt
<<<<
Not that I want to discourage prudence in the deployment of a new system (to the contrary, I think this one's going to be a doozy...), but this -- "Our OIT went so far as to pull OSX from the campus store and refuse to support it until such time as those problems are solved."-- sounds like a prejudice problem. I can't imagine a similar statement being made about Windows systems, which, unless I'm mistaken, are not problem-free... This is only to say that if IT departments *want* to support something, they can. Every platform has problems.
There are already solutions out there, even though this is early in the OS X game. An Apple engineer recommended Sharity: http://www.obdev.at/products/sharity/index.html , which claims to work with any flavor of Windows.
As for printers ("Or that it doesn't allow connection through Apple Talk to printers given certain types of routers?"), my understanding is that OS X only utilizes Appletalk to "see" the printers -- it then prints over IP as an LPR Printer. OS X currently uses Appletalk as a Resource Discovery Service, but this will likely be replaced by SLP (Service Location Protocol). SLP doesn't forward across subnets -- this will require SLP servers that keep track of devices (like printers) and can pass that info on to computers, kind of like a WINS server. This is a bigger ball of wax than buying software. However, you can still set up printers (not only across subnets, but across the planet -- goodbye fax machines?) using LPR if you have the printers' IP addresses. This doesn't sound like the kind of problem that should stop an IT department in its tracks...
One strategy that Mac advocates may find useful on many levels (learning and self-preservation are the two that first come to mind...) is getting together with the non-MS-platform users on their campuses. Many of the strategies used for getting services/support for UNIX or Linux will be applicable to OS X as well -- many services will be the same, in fact. The UNIX folks are a great knowledge base as well, and may be quite interested in OS X.
This list has hosted many arguments for supporting computer platform diversity, and this version of Mac OS will be another test of those arguments. There is a lot of work needed to make this transition -- I can think of a number of security reasons for proceeding cautiously with OS X that easily outweigh the original post's OIT objections -- but I'm sure there are and will be good solutions as well.
Good luck to all of us!
Jan
>--- Forwarded Message from "Scott G. Williams" <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
>>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 14:46:06 -0500
>>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]>
>>From: "Scott G. Williams" <[log in to unmask]>
>>Subject: Apple OSX
>
>------------------
>So, has anyone else noticed that OSX does not talk to NT4 servers? Or
>that it doesn't allow connection through Apple Talk to printers given
>certain types of routers?
>
>Our OIT went so far as to pull OSX from the campus store and refuse
>to support it until such time as those problems are solved.
>
>Scott
>--
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>Scott G. Williams, Ph.D.
>Director
>Language Acquisition Center
>Dept. of Modern Languages
>Univ. of Texas at Arlington
>Box 19557
>Arlington, Texas 76019-0557
>
>Tel: Office (817) 272-5650 / LAC (817) 272-5148
>Fax: (817) 272-5408
>
>email: [log in to unmask]
>
>LAC: (http://langlab.uta.edu/lac.htm)
>Foreign Languages:( http://langlab.uta.edu)
>My page: (http://langlab.uta.edu/scottweb/webpage.html)
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
John H. Stewart
Computer Consultant
University of Michigan
Language Resource Center
2102 Modern Languages Building
812 E. Washington
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1275
Office (734) 647-0757
Fax (734) 764-3512
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