[Samba] Re: using samba as unix network filesystem

[John H Terpstra]

On Mon, 2 Dec 2002, Dragan Krnic wrote:

> >> files with equal names but with different case, can not
> >> be stored in the same directory by samba.
> >> ....................................
> >> - is what I want possible with samba
>
> > Samba treats all file/directory names are case insensitive.
> > So the answer is - NO!
> > ........................

Oops. Mea Culpa! Samba already has case sensitivity support. See the man
page for smb.conf, look for the "case sensitive" and "preserve case"
options.

The trouble is that if you enable this for any shared file space, your MS
Windows client applications will break.

- John T.

>
> >> - are the developers willing to add such a feature in the future?
>
> > Sure, if you can fix the problem in MS Windows first.
> > Otherwise. no matter what Samba can do your MS Windows
> > client will not use it.
>
> The obvious question "Why not use NFS?" notwithstanding, Max is
> up to something. In the case of Linices boxen using Samba for
> collaborative efforts there is no apparent reason to enforce case-
> insensitivity in "smbclient" if the collaborating systems both
> support case distinction.
>
> What would happen should Bill's gang release Winux 11i with case-
> sensitive clients and servers tomorrow? Why, we would follow, of
> course. But if one of our own begs for the feature, you make him
> first fix the problem in MS Windows through his nose or else you
> don't want to discuss the issue.
>
> For Max it might or might not be too big a byte but it would certainly
> be a fine obsession for you, John Terpstra, to finally fix the Windows
> clients. I mean, so many rants focus on the idiotic verbosity of
> Windows network transactions, there is no way to get rid of the
> problems unless we are ready and willing to be ahead of the pack.
> If we just keep on pleasing Bill, we'll give up in frustration sooner
> or later.
>
> Contorting Linux to pretend it is a Windows server won't bring it
> to the corporate desktops as fast as an open-source Winux client
> which feels at home in both environments, with case distinction when
> possible, without when necessary.
>
>
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-- 
John H Terpstra
Email: jht at samba.org