From: Daniel Southward-Ellis Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2018 01:36:15 +0000 (+1300) Subject: Updated "About Samba" Info in README X-Git-Url: http://git.samba.org/samba.git/?p=amitay%2Fsamba.git;a=commitdiff_plain;h=61068ada6f863f0517664f7cf4dc9b6ba15a7bd6 Updated "About Samba" Info in README Signed-off-by: Daniel Southward-Ellis Reviewed-by: Andrew Bartlett Reviewed-by: Jeremy Allison --- diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 6a0c29004d5..34839c6da87 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,10 +1,17 @@ -This is the release version of Samba, the free SMB and CIFS client and -server and Domain Controller for UNIX and other operating -systems. Samba is maintained by the Samba Team, who support the -original author, Andrew Tridgell. +About Samba +=========== + +Samba is the standard Windows interoperability suite of +programs for Linux and Unix. +Samba is Free Software licensed under the GNU General Public License and +the Samba project is a member of the Software Freedom Conservancy. +Since 1992, Samba has provided secure, stable and fast file and print services +for all clients using the SMB/CIFS protocol, such as all versions of DOS +and Windows, OS/2, Linux and many others. +Samba is an important component to seamlessly integrate Linux/Unix Servers and +Desktops into Active Directory environments. It can function both as a +domain controller or as a regular domain member. -**Please read THE WHOLE of this file as it gives important information -about the configuration and use of Samba.** NOTE: Installation instructions may be found for the file/print server and domain member in: @@ -21,84 +28,6 @@ copy of which you should have received with this software (in a file called COPYING). -WHAT IS SMB/CIFS? -================= - -This is a big question. - -The very short answer is that it is the protocol by which a lot of -PC-related machines share files and printers and other information -such as lists of available files and printers. Operating systems that -support this natively include Windows 9x, Windows NT (and derivatives), -OS/2, Mac OS X and Linux. Add on packages that achieve the same -thing are available for DOS, Windows 3.1, VMS, Unix of all kinds, -MVS, and more. Some Web Browsers can speak this protocol as well -(smb://). Alternatives to SMB include Netware, NFS, Appletalk, -Banyan Vines, Decnet etc; many of these have advantages but none are -both public specifications and widely implemented in desktop machines -by default. - -The Common Internet File system (CIFS) is what the new SMB initiative -is called. For details watch https://www.samba.org/cifs/. - - -WHY DO PEOPLE WANT TO USE SMB? -============================== - -1. Many people want to integrate their Microsoft desktop clients - with their Unix servers. - -2. Others want to integrate their Microsoft (etc) servers with Unix - servers. This is a different problem to integrating desktop - clients. - -3. Others want to replace protocols like NFS, DecNet and Novell NCP, - especially when used with PCs. - - -WHAT CAN SAMBA DO? -================== - -Please refer to the WHATSNEW.txt included with this README for -a list of features in the latest Samba release. - -Here is a very short list of what samba includes, and what it does. -For many networks this can be simply summarized by "Samba provides -a complete replacement for Windows NT, Warp, NFS or Netware servers." - -- a SMB server, to provide Windows NT and LAN Manager-style file and print - services to SMB clients such as Windows 95, Warp Server, smbfs and others. - -- a Windows Domain Controller (NT4 and AD) replacement. - -- a file/print server that can act as a member of a Windows NT 4.0 - or Active Directory domain. - -- a NetBIOS (rfc1001/1002) nameserver, which amongst other things gives - browsing support. Samba can be the master browser on your LAN if you wish. - -- a ftp-like SMB client so you can access PC resources (disks and - printers) from UNIX, Netware, and other operating systems - -- a tar extension to the client for backing up PCs - -- limited command-line tool that supports some of the NT administrative - functionality, which can be used on Samba, NT workstation and NT server. - -For a much better overview have a look at the website at -https://www.samba.org/samba/, and browse the user survey. - -Related packages include: - -- cifsvfs, an advanced Linux-only filesystem allowing you to mount - remote SMB filesystems from PCs on your Linux box. This is included - as standard with Linux 2.5 and later. - -- smbfs, the previous Linux-only filesystem allowing you to mount remote SMB - filesystems from PCs on your Linux box. This is included as standard with - Linux 2.0 and later. - - CONTRIBUTIONS ============= @@ -137,6 +66,7 @@ Remember that free software of this kind lives or dies by the response we get. If no one tells us they like it then we'll probably move onto something else. + MORE INFO ========= @@ -228,4 +158,3 @@ https://www.samba.org/ As well as general information and documentation, this also has searchable archives of the mailing list and links to other useful resources such as the wiki. -