TailTalk brings AppleTalk to modern Rust with zero kernel drivers
TailTalk: A modern async user space AppleTalk stack with Rust and Tokio
TailTalk is a from-scratch, async AppleTalk stack in Rust and Tokio that runs entirely in user space on Linux, macOS, and Windows over EtherTalk or LocalTalk. It implements AARP, DDP, NBP, ATP, PAP, ASP, AFP, and ADSP, requiring only a raw socket or a TashTalk USB adapter. The project includes a GUI with an AFP server, AirPrint bridging for classic printers, and a daemon for shared interfaces.
All it needs is a raw socket and/or TashTalk compatible device (for LocalTalk) and patience for grumpy old computers.
- Arctessa
Oh hey cool, didn't expect to see my project make Hacker News! I also develop little hardware devices to go with this stack if anyone is interested in embedded AppleTalk too. One is to connect your modern machine directly to LocalTalk networks, and the other is to emulate the now hard to find Apple network adapters for their 80s/90s printer line.
I have a long discussion thread here which chronicles the development of this stack, and the two little hardware projects that go with it: https://68kmla.org/bb/threads/tashtalk-usb-tailtalk-and-inkt....
- gregsadetsky
Also, just learned of GlobalTalk ie people bridging their AppleTalk network to the Internet! https://marchintosh.com/globaltalk.html
- yjftsjthsd-h
In light of https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-Drops-AppleTalk , I'm a big fan of replacing the functionality in userspace:) (I've similarly thought that it would be helpful to port as many of Linux's filesystems to FUSE so when they get dropped users can just switch to that)