Gary,

  Samba itself simply mimics the SMB protocol Microsoft uses in it's
'Client for Microsoft Networks' as it appears in Windows 95 and NT.
This allows you to access the files from programs running on the
client as if those files were local to that client.  Unlike ODBC which
uses a standard set of API's on the client, and custom software on
the host to interpret those call's, Samba simply performs reads and
writes as requested by the client to the files.  I suppose you could
build routines into Samba/iX for native database access, but you
would also then have to customize the client interface as well
along with your client code.  The beauty of Samba now is that for
Windows 95 or NT, the client software is provided by Microsoft
as a standard part of the OS.  This would be a task that I would
not particularly care to undertake.
  If you want to access TurboImage, Image/SQL, or Allbase/SQL,
I'd look towards one of the available ODBC drivers (some offer
more features than others so shop around), or for a more customized
approach, some of the middleware packages from places such
as LeeTech or MiniSoft (and probably others).  Samba will be
great for file and print sharing, but it's not going to be the only
tool you'll need for integrating PC's, MAC's, and 3000's.

Regards,
Michael L Gueterman
Easy Does It Technologies
email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.editcorp.com
voice: (888) 858-EDIT -or- (509) 943-5108
fax:   (509) 946-1170
--

----------
From:  Gary Jensen[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:  Sunday, May 04, 1997 7:39 AM
To:  [log in to unmask]
Subject:  [HP3000-L] SAMBA

Will SAMBA allow access to TurboImage Databases?  Where can I get more info
about this product?

TIA