>Who out there is using this and for what.

Well, I'm probably somewhat biased when it comes to using Samba/iX ;-)

I use it frequently as a convenient method for transferring
files to/from the 3000 by simply mapping a network drive and
then using drag and drop.

For example, when I want to share MPE files with a customer
by eMail, I use store-to-disk or tar or zip to package them
on the 3000 and then drag the resulting file into my eMail.

We also use Samba shares on our 3000 to share files among
a couple of users. Things like PDF documents, MPE/iX manuals,
or PowderPoint slides sets come to mind. Nothing that could
not be done with a Linux or NT file server, but we use our
3000 for this, so we don't depend on other team's machines.

I use Samba very frequently to maintain my Apache/iX web
pages and config files with appropriate PC tools (like PFE
Programmer's File Editor or Netscape Composer). Hey, after
the initial setup in the Posix Shell, I even use my PC to
edit the Samba config files now :-)

I also use Samba to edit/maintain Java source code on the
3000, especially when it comes to Servlets that run under
control of Apache/iX, of course. In some cases, I use my
laptop for creating an initial prototype, sometimes using
an MS Access sample database when writing JDBC code. Later
on, I copy the files to the 3000 side, adjust the JDBC URL
to point to Image/SQL and do some finishing touches there.

While speaking on Java... I also have some Java GUI client
that talks to an Image/SQL database... We let the users run
it off a (readonly) Samba share, so that updates to this
program only need to replace a single file on the server,
instead of each PC user having to download the new version.
This is not Java specific, it just happens to be a Java GUI
program in this case. Should also work with plain exe's.

A colleague of mine was using PFE on the PC to edit COBOL
source files on the 3000 during her programming project.
She preferred this over using EDITOR or HPEDIT. By having
a Reflection window open, she could alt-tab between the
editor and the compile/run window.

Now that I think of it, another colleague is using a similar
approach. However, he is writing Business Basic code. But he
still prefers the PC editor and cut & paste capabilities :-)

We're all using the print server features to access some
of our MPE spooled printers from the PC side. Sure, they
are JetDirect and could also be accessed via some NT based
print servers on the LAN, but those seem to have occasional
trouble while our 3000 works nicely. A bonus point of the
MPE spooled printing is that we can suspend/abort accident
printouts as we have access to the MPE spooler, whereas we
would have to call the IT folks if we want changes/cancels
on the NT servers.

Oh, funny enough, another team was preparing a mass-mailing
with ITRC demo CD's and customized mailmerge letters a while
ago. They printed through our Samba server because the NT
box didn't handle their 500MB spoolfile (maybe due to lack
of disc space, I don't know).

>I'm not that familiar with the Posix shell
>yet so I've got a serious learning curve here.

As soon as Samba/iX is running, you won't have to learn
the vi editor any more. That might be a big plus ;-) but
is surely a matter of personal preference.