		Announcing Samba version 1.7
		============================

What is Samba?
--------------

Samba is a unix based SMB file server. This allows a unix host to
act as a file and print server for SMB clients. This includes
Lan-Manager compatible clients such as LanManager for DOS, Windows for
Workgroups, Windows NT, OS/2, Pathworks and many more.

The package also includes a unix SMB client and a netbios nameserver.

What can it do for me?
----------------------

If you have any PCs running SMB clients, such as a PC running Windows
for Workgroups, then you can mount file space or printers from a unix
host, so that directories, files and printers on the unix host are
available on the PC.

The client part of the package will also allow you to attach to other
SMB-based servers (such as windows NT and windows for workgroups) so
that you can copy files to and from your unix host. The client also
allows you to access a SMB printer (such as one attached to an OS/2 or
WfWg server) from Unix, using an entry in /etc/printcap, or by
explicitly specifying the command used to print files.

What are it's limitations?
--------------------------

Currently the server completely supports up to the CORE+ level of the
SMB protocol. This allows you to do all the normal file and print
operations from a PC. Work is nearly complete on the LANMAN1.0
protocol level which will add some new features. Following this work
will begin on supporting the LANMAN2.1 level. The main thing this will
gain is long filenames for clients that support them (such as Windows
NT).

The protocol includes a negotiation phase, and all clients should
support working with the CORE+ protocol (or a lower protocol), so the
transition from one protocol level to another is transparent for most
users.

What are it's features?
------------------------

Samba supports many features that are not supported in other SMB
implementations (all of which are commercial). Some of it's features
include host as well as username/password security, a unix client,
automatic home directory exporting, automatic printer exporting, dead
connecton timeouts, umask support, guest connections and hidden and
system attribute mapping. Look at the man pages included with the
package for a full list of features.


What's new since 1.6?
---------------------

Lots of stuff. See the change log and man pages for details.


Where can I get a client for my PC?
-----------------------------------

There is a free client for MS-DOS based PCs available from
ftp.microsoft.com in the directory Advsys/MSclient/. Please read the
licensing information before downloading. The Windows for Workgroups
client is also very good.

What network protocols are supported?
-------------------------------------

Currently only TCP/IP is supported. One person has used the server
with Decnet but the patches are not yet available. As most clients
come with a TCP/IP option it is unlikely that Samba will have
support for other protocols in the near future.

How much does it cost?
----------------------

Samba software is free software. It is available under the
GNU Public license in source code form at no cost. Please read the
file COPYING that comes with the package for more information.

What flavours of unix does it support?
---------------------------------------

The code has been written to be as portable as possible. It has been
"ported" to many unixes, which mostly required changing only a few
lines of code. It has been run (to my knowledge) on these unixes:

Linux, SunOS, Solaris, SVR4, Ultrix, OSF1 (Alpha), AIX, BSDI, NetBSD, Sequent,
HP-UX, SGI, FreeBSD, NeXT, ISC, SCO, Intergraph and DGUX. 

Some of these have received more testing than others. If it doesn't
work with your unix then it should be easy to fix.

Who wrote it?
-------------

Many people on the internet have contributed to the development of
Samba. The maintainer and original author is Andrew Tridgell, but
large parts of the package were contributed by several people from all
over the world. Please look at the file `change-log' for information
on who did what bits.

Where can I get it?
-------------------

The package is available via anonymous ftp from nimbus.anu.edu.au in
the directory pub/tridge/samba/. 

What about SMBServer?
---------------------

Samba used to be known as SMBServer, until it was pointed out that
Syntax, who make a commercial Unix SMB based server, have trademarked
that name. The name was then changed to Samba. Also, in 1992 a very
early incarnation of Samba was distributed as nbserver.

If you see any copies of nbserver or smbserver on ftp sites please let
me or the ftp archive maintainer know, as I want to get them deleted.

Where can I get more info?
---------------------------

Please join the mailing list if you want to discuss the development or
use of Samba. To join the mailing list send mail to
listproc@listproc.anu.edu.au with a body of "subscribe samba Your
Name".



Andrew Tridgell (Andrew.Tridgell@anu.edu.au)
July 1994
