Classic Macintosh: New TCP/IP and Apps

[ClockWise]

Here's an e-mail I got from DogCow over at MacGUI - https://macgui.com/

Under development now is a brand-new TCP/IP and suite of Internet applications for the classic Macintosh of the 1980s and 1990s: Telnet, Email, FTP, and HTTP.

The goal here is connectivity to the modern Internet for all classic Macs. All applications are designed to work on any Mac with traditional serial ports: the original Mac 128K all the way to a Power Macintosh with Mac OS 9.

Why should you care? There is already TCP/IP and applications for the newer classic Macs, but there is no more active development and these applications are frozen in time. They do not support new features, new developments, or TLS encryption.

When complete, the Sabina TCP project will give any classic Mac with serial ports access to modern Email, FTP, Telnet, and Web applications.

The Sabina TCP project is the world's largest classic Mac development project today, and is still a work in progress. Learn more at the Sabina web site. Do a web search to find it.

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Progress is here: https://macgui.com/sabina

[adespoton]

That's great! I haven't heard from DogCow in years. I do wonder how they're going to support TLS1.2 on a 128k, since the dedicated chip that usually handles its ciphers is more powerful than a 128k Mac, but I do hope they figure that out. Also getting useful data speeds at 1200bps with no hardware handshake.

Once we hit the Plus and beyond, I see this as being at least functional, and long-awaited.

[ClockWise]

I dunno if you noticed, but he is taking beta testers. You could probably experiment with it yourself.

That's great! I haven't heard from DogCow in years. I do wonder how they're going to support TLS1.2 on a 128k, since the dedicated chip that usually handles its ciphers is more powerful than a 128k Mac, but I do hope they figure that out. Also getting useful data speeds at 1200bps with no hardware handshake.

Once we hit the Plus and beyond, I see this as being at least functional, and long-awaited.

[Dog Cow]

Yes, beta testers. I'm afraid there is a technical bar to entry which has regrettably kept the number of beta testers lower than I would like, and that's the PPP over serial connection.

The goal is to write the original triad of Internet applications and have them compatible with a Mac 128K: FTP, Telnet, and Email. There will also be an HTTP Web client for downloading software and other files.

Sabina runs at up to 57600 baud and I timed an HTTP download at 3.2 KB/sec on a Mac 512K earlier today.

Email me dog_cow@macgui.com if you'd like to be a beta tester. There are working applications right now, today!

It will work on newer models of classic Mac running System 7 and even Mac OS 9. The newest Mac I've run it on is a Power Mac G3.