Netatalk can use one of three protocols to communicate with the host
computer.

1)    AppleTalk/EtherTalk DDP
2)    AppleTalk/LocalTalk (linux only to the best of my knowledge, and it
requires special hardware too)
3)    AppleTalk IP

EtherTalk DDP requires kernel support in some form, and is the most
transparent of the transports for the mac's to connect to.

AppleTalk IP on the other hand, is supported by default in MacOS 8.0
onwards, and it runs over TCP/IP, so no special stack is required.

LocalTalk is the older serial connection system, consequentially requires
special interface boards.  I only know of such boards for ix86 hardware. 
Currently, none of the linux or BSD ports (AFAIK) have mac hardware support
for driving the serial ports in sync mode so they can talk to the localtalk
hardware, and consequentially, it would seem there is no native hardware
support for localtalk - maybe its something for the port-m68k and port-ppc
to think of....  I think the linux guys dismissed it since they all have
ethernet...

=======================================================
Christopher Collins <chris@jcsmr.anu.edu.au>
Network Manager, John Curtin School of Medical Research
=======================================================


----------
>From: Andreas Kotes <count@flatline.de>
>To: Mauricio Tavares <Mauricio@proedint.com>
>Cc: port-pmax@netbsd.org
>Subject: Re: Quick netatalk question
>Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1999 12:46 AM
>

>
>Hi!
>
>On Sun, 21 Nov 1999, Mauricio Tavares wrote:
>
>>  According to the netatalk readme file, it is already supported by the
>> kernel.  In other words, I do not need to rebuild the kernel when I install
>> it, right?
>
>why don't you just go and try? :) the netatalk protocol is supported in
>the kernel source, if the code is included depends on you kernel
>configuration. in my sourcetree it is enabled in arch/pmax/conf/GENERIC, I
>don't think I changed this so its in the default kernel, too.
>
>   Count
>
>-- 
>  -= Andreas Kotes - mailto:count@flatline.de - Questions? Just ask =-
> -= Are you doing what you are able to do to support peace on earth? =-
>-= Commercial use of my email address NOT allowed. PGP key available. =-
>
>