OT: <was springfield> <is data transfer via parallel port off old systems>

[Don Y]

jim stephens wrote:
> Chuck Guzis wrote:
> 
>> I know this is a vintage list, but at a minimum, PS/2-style bidirectional
>> parallel ports have been around for a very long time, so this 
>> shouldn't be
>> a problem.  Even if you had an old XT, printer and monochrome adapter 
>> cards can usually be modified to operate in bi-directional mode.
>>
>> After that, it's just the cable and a bit of software on the receiving
>> side.
>
> I have a "vintage" IBM PS/2 data migration facility box with appropriate 
> dates, so it is not too off topic.  Anyone out there with a recipe
 > or howto pointer to do this with various os varieties?  Say linux
 > 2 linux, or linux to dos?
> 
> To fork the thread, I would be interested in whether the SCO parallel 
> drivers might support the parallel port in such a way as to allow 
 > such coupling, (reads get data from port that is).

I see, in my notes, dating back to late 90's (97ish) support for
PLIP in FreeBSD.  But, that's a full-fledged network interface,
not just a "file transfer mechanism".  I know it was capable of
working with SPP's so it required a special cable (to push
nybbles across the wire).  I am not sure if it supported
any of the "enhanced" printer port capabilities, though.

My most recent SCO release predates this, IIRC (I don't actively
follow SCO's product  :>  ) but I don't think it has any of
this sort of support.

I think PC-Anywhere (?) supported this on MS platforms many
years ago.  As did MS's own protocol.

But, I am not sure if this ever made it out of the MS world... (?)

> Also what is required to do this simply or other wise on Linux 
> (mentioned above).
> Even better, is there a small program to do this to a dos box, that can 
> be used on dos / old windows boxes.
> 
> Laplink had cables for the serial port, I don't recall if it had a 
> parallel version
> that was reliable, as far as dos to dos data transfer.