If I remember rightly, back in the days before the MkII existed some of the guys on this board got TCP/IP running over USB (PPP?). Have a look back through the old posts - would be a good starting point for a project like this. I also reckon an empeg would make a much better zip/jaz/whatever drive

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)