[bjames]

I have. Licensed copy of 3ds Max versions 1 through 7.  I have always used windows NT for all my builds, however I found out (which I was not aware of) Max release 2 and 3 were supported on windows 95, not sure about release 4 though.  I still have the hardware dongles for release 1 through 4 and was thinking of installing release 2.5 on Softwindows 95 for kicks.  To see how useable it will be, if this works of course.

The parallel port on the Octane appears to be a centronic 36 pin, so I’m thinking of purchasing a db25 to cent 36 pin adaptor to connect the dongle.  

Anyone try this?  Can the Sgi parallel port be configured by bi-directional communication as if I recall was required to to have the dongle work on the PC.

[robespierre]

The O2 and Octane have a IEEE 1284-C port. They may have been the only computers to use that style of parallel port connector—at any rate, it was not at all common on computers generally. Usually the -C type was only used on some printers. So there were lots of cables from DB25M to 1284-C, for attaching printers to PCs. There were also CN36 to 1284-C adapters to allow a printer with the miniaturized port to use traditional "Centronics" printer cables. But adapters/cables from 1284-C to DB25F (what a license dongle requires) don't seem to have ever been sold.

The O2 and Octane have full-featured parallel ports with bidirectional, EPP and ECP modes. The application that opens the port needs to perform the proper operations to set the desired mode. Does SoftWindows do that? Who knows.

[bjames]

Have not looked into weather Softwindows will set the desired mode or not, but I would assume SW95 would make use of the parallel port to at least drive printers and maybe fax operations from a printer/copier - but maybe those devices would use scsi. IDK.