Samba KDE tools confusion

[quarkslot]

Wasn't sure whether to post this in Software or Network Support but here goes...

I've setup Samba and have network shares working for various computers on my network, no problems there.

When installing Samba I noticed some specific KDE config tools available such as kdenetwork-filesharing, komba2 and smb4k.

komba2 and smb4k are billed as share browsers whereas kdenetwork-filesharing seems more of a config tool yet when saw the screenshots of smb4k it looks like it has config abilities as well.

Before I make an uneducated dive in can anyone shed any light on them, what they do and if they are one and the same thing?

Thanks.

Nick

[Troberg]

Re: Samba KDE tools confusion

I've tried them, and while they worked for browsing for shares, anything beyond that was unreliable at best.

I still stick to the fstab (for mounting shares) and smb.conf (for sharing) editing. I've got that to work, and just stick to a known working formula rather than messing with stuff that works.

We really need a good tool to replace the editing of config files for Samba if we want to get a foot in the Windows world. It's too much of a hassle now.

I run a mixed environment at home, having some 15 Linux machines and maybe 12 Windows machines (servers, one workstation, one gaming machine). I will gradually phase out the Windows machines, but I will not switch OS on a working server (especially at home, where I'm not paid to do it), so they'll run until it's time to retire them. OK, I might have a few more machines than the average user (or some small nations...), but I think many share the same basic problem. They have a Windows network and are considering a switch to Linux, but it has to be gradual and painless, and that requires easy configuration of interoperability components.

I'll probably set myself up for a "So do it yourself!" now, but as far as I can see, if we keep it to the basics and leave out the fancy configuration options (much like Windows has done), I can't see why a decent UI frontend for editing those files should be a big thing.

[quarkslot]

Re: Samba KDE tools confusion

Yes, I suspected as much and appreciate the reply.

Unlike you I don't have a small army of computers at home however I retired my main machine last year and it seemed a good opportunity to switch from Windows, and it was. I've also got a mixed environment and Samba works fantastically well.

I agree that better, easier, tools are needed if Linux is going to make significant gains on Windows, whereas the people using this forum are happy to invest time and effort to set-up and understand their systems they are definitely in the minority. Thetypical user wants minimum effort - just switch on and go. The home server market really is starting to take off and represents a great opportunity for Linux to demonstrate what it can do, if only.....

[Troberg]

Re: Samba KDE tools confusion

Yep.

For the client side, I think that something like right-clicking on a dir and selecting "Mount windows share here", followed by a simple browse/login dialog would make a lot of people happy.

On the server side, a right click on a dir with a "Share this dir to Windows users" followed by a simple dialog for setting permissions would do the trick.

We are finding a new group of users now, and they are not the computer-savvy nerds we are. They just want to plug a computer in and access it, no matter what OS it runs, and I think we'll have to deliver. Windows sure as hell won't do it's part...