Under the Desktop: Bridging the Mac/Windows Divide

David Morgenstern

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Nowadays, when the subject of peer-to-peer networking comes up, the first thought is of Napster’s Internet file-sharing scheme. Real peer-to-peer aficionados might point instead to popular webcam applications or recent initiatives from Intel. There are times, however, when content creators who routinely transfer files between platforms would do well to remember peer-to-peer’s ancient history: a cable connecting standalone computers.

Long ago, before Internet broadband services made cross-platform file transfer more convenient, Mac and PC users often connected their machines with a serial cable and then used terminal-emulation communication programs to send files from one machine to another. There have been recent times, however, when I could have used a similar setup.

A Tale of Two Computers
One morning not too long ago in New York, I sat across from my boss in a small briefing room at PC Expo. On my PowerBook was the company’s PowerPoint presentation that I had slaved over the night before. The CEO had a small PC notebook with a floppy. I had an Iomega Zip drive in the bay but no floppy drive — not that the file could fit on a floppy or even a carton of diskettes. There was a dial-up connection in the room but no local Windows network or broadband access that would let me transfer the file. I was hosed. The revised file stayed put on my machine and I recreated the file on his PC by hand — after a solid day’s worth of meetings.

The latest-and-greatest technology was everywhere at the show, but we were stymied by the lack of a cross-platform connection. Oh, the irony. On this occasion and several others, I wished I had an old-fashioned peer-to-peer solution in my carrying case.

Peer Pressure
I think I may have found the answer to my Internet-less file-transfer dilemma in DoubleTalk, a new $99 list Mac networking utility offered by Connectix Corp. that provides Macs access to shared folders on Windows networks. The utility is a Server Message Block (SMB) client for the Mac. SMB is a standard protocol for requesting network services and accessing file servers, and is supported by Windows 95 and up, and Linux OS.

Connectix is entering the field dominated by Thursby Software Systems’ $149 DAVE and $89 MacSOHO solutions, which use a slightly different means to connect with Windows networks. The higher priced DAVE (I’ve always loved the name) also offers bi-directional support, letting Windows users see shared folders on the Mac side.

DoubleTalk can set up a peer-to-peer file transfer, even though this purpose is peripheral to its primary use with enterprise Windows NT networks or small work groups. While the peer-to-peer feature is buried in an appendix at the back of the manual, it could prove a job-saver to Mac-based content creators. I plan to report on its performance with a Windows NT network in a later column as well as its printing support, which lets Macs easily connect to PostScript laser printers.

Setup for the peer-to-peer connection was straightforward: First, I connected an Ethernet crossover cable between my PowerMac G4 and my Windows 98 notebook. These cables are readily available in most computer shops. From the outside, they look identical to other cables — mine is gray, marked with some incomprehensible alphabet soup — so it’s a good idea to label it appropriately.

Next, I adjusted the TCP/IP settings on both machines and checked the properties for File and Print Sharing on the Windows side. The important thing here is that both machines have different IP addresses. It’s a good idea to jot down the settings before changing them for the peer-to-peer connection, particularly if the user of the Windows machine is unfamiliar with them. The manual, however, provides numbers that will be easy to recognize in case the user forgets to re-enter the previous settings.

Finally, I ran the DoubleTalk Assistant on the Mac. After requesting a couple of pieces of information, such as the Windows Workgroup name (often “Workgroup,” go figure), it spent a short moment configuring itself. That’s it.

Peer of the Unknown
This led to my one brief moment of confusion with the software: I looked around the desktop for some gross evidence that I was connected to the Windows machine, and naturally, there wasn’t. Why would I forget the Chooser, the longstanding Mac interface element for networked resources? Duh! Perhaps I was thinking too hard.

When I finally opened the Chooser, the workgroup from the Windows notebook was waiting for me in the File Server list, just like an AppleTalk volume. Working with the “network” was seamless. I entered the password for the directory and I was able to move files back and forth between the two platforms.

DoubleTalk’s ease of use combined with its strong Mac interface will appeal to content creators. And it may save the day when your usual connectivity options have vanished but the client stands on the doorstep waiting for a deliverable.

There’s a rabbinical saying: “When brains are needed, muscles won’t help.” No amount of cursing or straining will get your files where they need to be — only a bit of preparation (and maybe a crossover cable).