Client for Samba Networks

[Christopher R. Hertel]

Simo Sorce wrote:
> On Sun, Dec 16, 2001 at 03:48:04PM -0800, Jeremy Allison wrote:
> > On Sun, Dec 16, 2001 at 05:42:02PM -0600, Gerald (Jerry) Carter wrote:
> > > On Fri, 14 Dec 2001, Jeremy Allison wrote:
> > > 
> > > > He does hit upon a very important point though. If such a thing were
> > > > enabled, it would have simplified the job of interoperability greatly.
> > > > In fact Samba might never have come into being.
> > > 
> > > Ahh...how quickly you have forgotten PC-NFS.  The reason Samba is so
> > > popular is that it requires no client side changes.  As a former sysadmin,
> > > being able to control the server is much easier than trying to control
> > > Windows desktop clients.  In fact, think of what it would take to upgrade
> > > a redirector of a network of moderate size.  Now think of what it takes
> > > to upgrade 30 Samba servers to fix a interop problem with a new service
> > > pack.
> > 
> > I used to support PC-NFS for Sun. I still have nightmares about it... so
> > I definately can't forget it :-).
> > 
> > A free - *working* - nfs client for Windows would have changed things
> > greatly (IMHO :-).
> 
> A free - *working* - operating system for desktop PC would have changed
> things greatly IMHO ;-)

SMB is icky, NetWare is even more closed, and NFS is okay, but somewhat 
outdated.  Coda has lots of problems, but one thing it has in its favor 
is disconnected operation.

An open, secure, cross-platform network filesystem that can handled
disconnected operation... now *that* would be a very cool thing. 

Chris -)-----

-- 
Christopher R. Hertel -)-----                   University of Minnesota
crh at nts.umn.edu              Networking and Telecommunications Services

    Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them
    with your hands...you choose them as your guides, and following
    them you will reach your destiny.  --Carl Schultz