CompuServe Messages

I have what may be a solution, if you want to look into it. It is possible to network an Amiga to a PC very cheaply, over the parallel port, with something called a PARNET cable (which is just a parallel cable with two wires switched and a couple shorted). I have two Amigas linked in this fashion. The software was free, and the cable cost about $7.00 to make. You can buy one pre-made for under $15.00. Now this is Amiga to Amiga, and allows you to access any files on each other's hard drives easily (or any device, for that matter). For example, I can access the 1200's hard drives or floppy drives, and similarly the 1200 accesses my 3000's hard drives, floppies, or CD-ROM drive. Even RAM disks are accessible this way, and a ZIP drive, or anything would be. A similar thing exists for Amiga to PC. I believe that it may be included with ParBench. I also have recently seen a new one made by someone else floating around. Look for ParBench – it may include what you are looking for. Basically, if you are willing to put the time and effort, and a little playing around, you can network your computers for about $10.00. Really!! And if you don't care about the money, then you should network them with EtherNet or something. This would cost $400-500, maybe, but could be expanded to share more computers, even Macs, in the future… I think networking, either cheap or expensive, is the way to go. If you want to go REALLY cheap, hook up the Amiga/PC by serial port, and use terminal programs to upload/download files between them. Seems like a hassle but maybe not, since copying files and carrying disks back and forth isn't fast either… but the serial would be slow for a large operation. I recommend an Amiga to PC PARNET, hands down. I use it, and don't know how I ever stood carrying disks 6 feet to pop them into the other machine. I can even run software on the other machine… For seven dollars and an afternoon of troubleshooting.