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Windows server is interesting looking for sure. They are having a few issues with it currently if you look at the forums ..like deleting files (yikes)

Still its a good product for the folks in Redmond to be pushing for sure.

I do not know enough about the services capabilities of my macs to comment on what sort of server capabilities exist with OS X. (outside of actual OS X server itself). I do know that there is a web server built right in to OS X.
 
I do admire those boys in Redmond trying to help the masses store and backup their data while making a nice profit on them.

I can ssh, VNC/ARD, AFP/SMB/FTP into my laptop and any other Mac while on my network. (Not to mention Apache) Not to mention Time Machine and Time Capsule.

I do wish Apple had some feature parity with the Time Capsule with Home Server, I don't see a major rush for an OS X Home Server when the clients can manage.
 
Windows server is interesting looking for sure. They are having a few issues with it currently if you look at the forums ..like deleting files (yikes)

Still its a good product for the folks in Redmond to be pushing for sure.

I do not know enough about the services capabilities of my macs to comment on what sort of server capabilities exist with OS X. (outside of actual OS X server itself). I do know that there is a web server built right in to OS X.

I am interested in setting up a photo and video server for my family and friends and really dont see the point in spending the money for .Mac or all other tons of photo and file sharing free sites. Call me old fashion but I still dont like the idea of photos of my kids etc. being in the hands of Google etc. if I use Picasa or any other site.

The Windows box really has caught my eye since I get the box and software plus a 500GB hard drive to start off with and three bays to fill as I grow. I wonder if i could access it from my Mac.

PS. I am a hardcore Mac user, I just think this is a pretty neat idea.
 
I use .mac but not for it's storage features. (well other than a few files that I need to occasionally access from the office). I use it instead for its web hosting and the ability to sync my two macs

For photos and home videos I use time machine and an external drive. I also do a redundant drive that i do not keep at home but a couple days per month. One thing you may want to look at is just a time capsule and time machine for backup, and I believe you can also put a second drive on it. That you could use for actual file access?

Another route is some sort of simple Linux media server, I believe they exist but I am not sure how much tinkering they require. Finally I believe Windows server will serve up files to the Mac will it not? You do not get all of its features like automated backup etc, but i believe it will serve up files.
 
Regular OS X and a .mac account has pretty much all the features (and more) than home server.

Ok but how do my family members that are not using Macs access them ?

Thanks

PS. I understand the whole file sharing thing on my home network between my other Macs but how do I get that to the outside world for others to see on a Windows box ?

Thanks
 
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