TailTalk: A modern async user space AppleTalk stack with Rust and Tokio
TailTalk is a new open-source toolkit written in Rust that allows modern computers to communicate with legacy AppleTalk-based hardware. It enables users to bridge old Mac peripherals, such as printers and file servers, with contemporary network standards.
Why it matters
It serves as a significant tool for digital preservation and the continued utility of vintage computing hardware.
TailTalk is designed as a "toolkit" for building fully userspace AppleTalk implementations on Linux, Mac OS and Windows systems via EtherTalk or LocalTalk networks. It is built from scratch with zero dependencies on Netatalk or any kernel drivers - All it needs is a raw socket and/or TashTalk compatible device (for LocalTalk) and patience for grumpy old computers. It provides a complete AppleTalk stack, with multiple copies of it able to run on the same machine at the same time.
I started this project to be able to copy files to/from my old Macs, print to LaserWriters, ImageWriters and networked StyleWriters, and be able to write modern async software to communicate with them. Currently TailTalk only works in a routerless setup - work is in progress to make it gracefully join router present networks but it is not yet in the mainline code.
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