Hi Joyce,

Absolutely they can be networked, but how hard it is all depends on what you
want to do.

At work, we have all flavors of machine, Linux, Mac's and PC's running
multiple flavors of Windows from W2K through Vista. This is no problem if
all you want is to share an internet access between them as they all
natively support TCP/IP and HTTP protocol support.

The tricky part is when you want to share or copy data between them, as
there are different protocols natively supported. Windows use windows
shares, Linux and other UNIX variant use NFS, and MAC's, we I try to stay
away from them so I could not tell you exactly.

Typically there is software available to allow cross support for these. For
example, Samba on UNIX variants allow Windows PC's to mount their disk
volumes. I believe there is still an NFS package to allow Windows PC to
mount NFS volumes from UNIX, but it is not common. I am also pretty sure
that MAC's have a compatibility feature to mount Windows shares. For the
most part, you should be able to access network shares across any flavor of
Windows, the tricky part deals with user permissions such that access is
authorized. Unless you have common user account on all the machines, you
typically have permission problems when dealing with W2K and above.

So, we would need to know exactly what the desired end result is to know
exactly what solution is desired.

Russ Poffenberger
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-----Original Message-----
From: Personal Computer Hardware discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Joyce A
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 5:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] How To Build a Home Network with 3 OS's


Furthering this question a bit:  can a network be established among four 
computers, each running a different version of Windows?  My newest 
computer is an eMachines running Vista; second, eMachines with Windows 
XP; third, older Compaq Presario with Windows 98; and oldest, an 
"unbrand" with Win 95. 

Joyce in SE Ohio

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