AppleTalk

AppleTalk is a proprietary network protocol suite developed by Apple Computer, Inc. (now Apple Inc.) in the early 1980s. It was designed to enable easy network connectivity and resource sharing for Macintosh computers. AppleTalk facilitated the connection of multiple Macs to shared printers and file servers, forming the basis of early office networks.

The protocol suite is structured in layers, following a model similar to the OSI model. Key protocols within AppleTalk include Data Stream Protocol (DSP), which provides a reliable, connection-oriented service, and Datagram Delivery Protocol (DDP), which offers a simpler, connectionless service. Name Binding Protocol (NBP) was crucial for resolving names to network addresses, allowing users to find and connect to network resources by name rather than IP address. AppleTalk also included zones, which were logical groupings of network nodes, simplifying network management and resource discovery in larger environments.

Initially, AppleTalk was implemented over various physical media, including LocalTalk, an inexpensive serial cabling system. Later, it was adapted for use over Ethernet (using EtherTalk) and Token Ring (using TokenTalk). While it was a dominant networking solution for Macintosh users for many years, its prominence declined with the widespread adoption of TCP/IP as the universal networking standard. Modern macOS versions retain some compatibility with TCP/IP, but native AppleTalk support has been largely deprecated.