Catweasel Experts out there???

Multiple choice: "It can read xxxx disks" means: A. It has the physical capability to be able to handle the physical encoding, if somebody were to write appropriate software to do so - none currently exists. B. It can read the physical disk, and has software that will permit making an exact duplicate of the disk and/or creating a file that contains an image used for replicating the disk. C. It COULD transfer a byte for byte image of a file from certain "alien" disk formats to and from a local disk of the host computer, IFF somebody were to write such software (not currently in existence). D. It has (or IS) software to transfer a byte for byte image of a file from certain "alien" disk formats to and from a local disk of the host computer. (XenoCopy, Media Master, Uniform, 22Disk) E. It can "mount" disks of certain formats, and access files on them with what appear to be "normal" OS operations (Uniform) F. When it access a file on the disk of certain formats, it will also translate formatting codes into those of your current aps (open a Kaypro Wordstar file with Office Word XP) With XenoCopy, I had to expend an enormous amount of effort making it clear to people that it did category D above, NOT F. (The Kaypro Wordstar file is copied into a PC Wordstar file) The Cat Weasel appears to be able to do A, C, and maybe B. There are way too many situations where use of the phrase "can read xxxx disks" is ASSUMED to mean D, E, or F, and there isn't always enough effort made to clarify! The result is expectations of being able to use it for things that it isn't ready for [YET?]. I just wish that NOBODY would EVER say "can read xxxx disks" without clarifying which definition is intended. -- Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com XenoSoft http://www.xenosoft.com PO Box 1236 (510) 558-9366 Berkeley, CA 94701-1236 On Sat, 24 Jan 2004, Zane H. Healy wrote: