Socket programming for OS 6 and 7

[samalex]

Sorry for the cross post, but I just saw the Programming forum and figured this would be better suited here.

If I can ever get my Mac SE going and on the Internet i'd like to start developing some Internet aware software for Mac OS 6 and 7. The last time I wrote anything for Mac OS 6 or 7 it was using ZBasic in the early 90's which I think evolved into FutureBasic.

At any rate what's involved in writing C or C++ apps or even Basic apps for OS 6 or 7 that are network aware? I'd like to look at coding simple apps that use various website API's to make some text-based content that's available on the WWW accessible from classic macs.

Thanks for any suggestions --

Sam

 

[Gryphel]

I don't know much about this myself, but according to the Old Macintosh System Software and TCP/IP page of Vintage Networking information, for System 6 you would need to use MacTCP.

A previous discussion on MacTCP Documentation mentions the MacTCP SDK, which includes the "MacTCP Programmer's Guide" pdf file.

Example source code may be useful. There is source available for a very old version of Eudora. I don't know if it is a good example.

 

[samalex]

Thanks for the reply... the source for Eudora will definitely be neat to look through. Thanks!

But thus far I haven't found a simple way to get my SE on the network, and the only computer I have around my SE is my iMac which doesn't have a serial port and I'm sure setting-up a PPP server on it that may work with the SE if I could get a USB to Serial adapter might be a large undertaking in of itself. Also it seems the SE/30 systems on EBay and elsewhere are WAY too much for my pocketbook. There was a time when I'd see these systems for $50 plus shipping or even free, but either they've all gone to collectors or one article I read mentioned the classic Mac's shot-up in value after Jobs' death which is odd since the SE and most of the late 80's were created when Jobs was a NeXT. I even went by our local Goodwill Computer Works store to see if they might have a classic computer section, but the guy at the front desk said anything that's not newer goes directly to the recycle bin which is sad to see.

So I'll continue to hover until I can get the hardware to get into the Classic Mac scene, but in the meantime I'll review some of the source code just incase I do have a chance to do some classic mac coding

 

[Gryphel]

An old fashioned way to get your SE on the internet would be with a modem. There are Mac 56k modems for sale on ebay, and there still seem to be dial up internet service providers. Though it would require land line phone service, which I guess many people don't have anymore.

An alternative is an Ethernet to LocalTalk bridge. On model seems to still be for sale on amazon. But I think additional software is needed to get internet access over it. If I understand correctly that is what Mike Fort's gateway software is about.

And another alternative is to use an emulator. For example, I think Basilisk II has internet access. And the emulator I maintain, Mini vMac, has LocalTalk emulation, written by Mike Fort, in the development branch, which with the gateway mentioned above, should eventually allow internet access.

 

[olePigeon]

Or an AppleTalk to Ethernet bridge (MacIP.)

 

[ClassicHasClass]

Aha, Mr Pratt, I presume!