CompuServe Messages

I'm looking for the best way to start animation projects on Amiga, finish them over on the Mac or PC. So far I've been mailing IFFs and ANIMS to myself via CIS. Programs passed on to me by friends or downloaded from Amiga forums have failed to enable my Amiga 2000HD to read PC disks. I don't know of any program that allows a PC (or Mac) to read Amiga disks. It may be my poor old setup – unimproved since 1992 or earlier, still running AmigaDos 1.3. Or it may be my poor old brain – unable to master AmigaDOS syntax or set these shareware programs up properly. Phrases like — get a null modem — set up a network — buy a syquest — make friends with a technical wizard — swim through my brain. I would be grateful for reasonably priced idiotproof solution. Someone said AmigaDos 2.1 reads PC disks as a matter of course.. but that was a salesman and I don't know whether to believe him. The folks at CrossDOS want to sell me something called a ZIPdrive. Someone please tell me what should I buy & install in what order and why.