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overlytg · Apr 19, 2003, 02:13 PM

This is a general question.

What is the "Network" in the lowest directory of OS X. I don't understand what it is about. Network drives don't go there, or do they? It seems to be totally useless. Can someone give me the low down?

Tim

Millennium · Apr 19, 2003, 02:23 PM

It is possible to configure OSX in such a way that networked drives show up there. However, I'm not sure if anyone's ever actually done this. I'm not even sure how you'd do it.

Apple made a mistake by not making it so that /Network is hidden when you're not connected to a network (and I still say /System should be hidden as well). They could have made the GUI feel a lot simpler that way, if only by reducing the four visible Library folders, only two of which should be messed with under ordinary circumstances, to only the two which are useful to ordinary users most of the time. Then, make /Network visible when there's actually a reason for it to be seen.

ratlater · Apr 19, 2003, 02:34 PM

The Network directory is often used in and Open Directory structure. Basically with OS X server you can have home folders mounted remotely by client machines, or applications or anything you want mounted remotely by managed clients. These mounts show up in the Network directory. Apple should have probably hidden it if it isn't in use. It's very easy to setup with OS X Server, and possible with the client version, but much more difficult.

-matt

suthercd · Apr 19, 2003, 02:34 PM

I have a different perspective. OS X is based on an environemnt that utilizes network capabilities in a way that no other GUI interface does. We are all so used to a one person one computer/terminal that the capabilities and savings of a true Network have been forgotten.

Depending on the EULA agreement for a particular app, it could be installed one one Mac and utillized over a network of apps. An Applescript could be on one Mac and used by a network.

Because we don't have experience or knowledge about some OS X capabilities doesn't mean that they should be removed or hidden from the GUI.

FWIW

Craig

lookmark · Apr 19, 2003, 02:53 PM

My guess is that Apple made /System visible so that users wouldn't get confused and think that Classic's /System Folder was OS X's system folder.

I know, neither one is great.

As for that blasted Network icon... I just hope that in Panther it either turns into something useful or disappears.

lookmark · Apr 19, 2003, 02:59 PM

Originally posted by suthercd:
Because we don't have experience or knowledge about some OS X capabilities doesn't mean that they should be removed or hidden from the GUI.

Au contraire, mon frere.

This isn't a tucked-away option in a menu somewhere.

This is an icon -- big and blue -- on the root level of the computer, visible in every new Finder window, that for 95+% of users does confusingly not connect to any network and is utterly useless.

No excuse for this one. It's inexplicable.

RevEvs · Apr 19, 2003, 05:37 PM

i agree it should be hidden by default. Ive seen so many users go there thinking thats where network drives are, or thats how they get on to a particular network etc..

revs

Truepop · Apr 21, 2003, 12:33 AM

Item 151 on the hope for a fix in 10.3 list.

moonmonkey · Apr 21, 2003, 12:41 AM

Originally posted by Truepop:
Item 151 on the hope for a fix in 10.3 list.

Care to share the previous 150?

mrtew · Apr 21, 2003, 07:26 AM

double post.... my fault this time though! :-]

mrtew · Apr 21, 2003, 07:27 AM

Originally posted by suthercd:
Because we don't have experience or knowledge about some OS X capabilities doesn't mean that they should be removed or hidden from the GUI.

Did you mean to say, "Because we HUMANS don't have experience or knowledge about some OS X capabilities doesn't mean that they should be removed or hidden from the GUI."
I've heard people asking about the ugly idiotic NetWork icon for years now and no one has ever answered the question of what I am supposed to do with it. Every time I set up someones Mac with OSX they say, "Cool, I want to connect to a network" and start clicking on that icon. I then have to explain that that is either a joke or a bug and you need to just try to forget it's there because you can't get rid of it and you can't get it to do anything, and no one knows where it came from etc etc etc. What an embarassment for Apple, SteveJobs, OSX, and every Mac user that that is still there after two complete overhauls of the most advanced operating system on earth. I will gladly pay $130 for Panther if that stupid icon is gone!

monkeybrain · Apr 21, 2003, 08:08 AM

So is is possible to put a '.' in front of it and make it invisible?

Epicurus · 08:32 AM

I have successfully used the Network folder to have network mounts via NFS. Using Netinfo Manager I added several network shares to mount under the Network folder allowing me to always have access to network resources (without having to manually mount shares, they mount at startup). This is a feature of a "network file system." However, I did have to change my OS X user ID to correspond with my servers, so I could access shares with proper permissions. After I changed the user id I also had to change ownership of all my files to the new user id. The server I am connecting to is a Free BSD server already configured for all the necessary permissions, mounts, etc.

IonCable · Apr 21, 2003, 03:01 PM

Ok, so that Network Icon is Useful. How do I use it? At work I have 2 AIX servers that I use the Go - Connect to Server everyday to get connected to. Am I to understand that I can connect to those under the Network Folder Icon? How would one do this?

xMetal · Apr 21, 2003, 03:56 PM

Originally posted by Epicurus:
I have successfully used the Network folder to have network mounts via NFS. Using Netinfo Manager I added several network shares to mount under the Network folder allowing me to always have access to network resources (without having to manually mount shares, they mount at startup). This is a feature of a "network file system." However, I did have to change my OS X user ID to correspond with my servers, so I could access shares with proper permissions. After I changed the user id I also had to change ownership of all my files to the new user id. The server I am connecting to is a Free BSD server already configured for all the necessary permissions, mounts, etc.

This is PRECISELY what you should NOT have to do. The original poster is correct, this icon is a worthless but prominent item that serves nearly zero function for anyone. I've been using OS X since the beta and have never utilized that.

Ditch it, or make it logical.

JLL · Apr 21, 2003, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by xMetal:
The original poster is correct, this icon is a worthless but prominent item that serves nearly zero function for anyone.

Most - not anyone.

Catfish_Man · Apr 21, 2003, 04:52 PM

IIRC it's used in NetInfo networks, but most home users (and most other users, since NetInfo is OSX/NeXT only) don't use NetInfo much. I agree that it should be hidden by default.

JLL · Apr 21, 2003, 04:56 PM

Originally posted by Catfish_Man:
IIRC it's used in NetInfo networks, but most home users (and most other users, since NetInfo is OSX/NeXT only) don't use NetInfo much. I agree that it should be hidden by default.

It's used when you have Mac OS X Server managing the network / users / sharepoints.

zadak · Apr 22, 2003, 01:00 AM

Originally posted by Epicurus:
I have successfully used the Network folder to have network mounts via NFS. Using Netinfo Manager I added several network shares to mount under the Network folder allowing me to always have access to network resources (without having to manually mount shares, they mount at startup). This is a feature of a "network file system." However, I did have to change my OS X user ID to correspond with my servers, so I could access shares with proper permissions. After I changed the user id I also had to change ownership of all my files to the new user id. The server I am connecting to is a Free BSD server already configured for all the necessary permissions, mounts, etc.

nfs=windows shares?
Exactly how do you do this?

CharlesS · Apr 22, 2003, 01:19 AM

Originally posted by mrtew:
Did you mean to say, "Because we HUMANS don't have experience or knowledge about some OS X capabilities doesn't mean that they should be removed or hidden from the GUI."
I've heard people asking about the ugly idiotic NetWork icon for years now and no one has ever answered the question of what I am supposed to do with it. Every time I set up someones Mac with OSX they say, "Cool, I want to connect to a network" and start clicking on that icon. I then have to explain that that is either a joke or a bug and you need to just try to forget it's there because you can't get rid of it and you can't get it to do anything, and no one knows where it came from etc etc etc. What an embarassment for Apple, SteveJobs, OSX, and every Mac user that that is still there after two complete overhauls of the most advanced operating system on earth. I will gladly pay $130 for Panther if that stupid icon is gone!

Just edit the /.hidden file and add Network.

mrtew · Apr 22, 2003, 05:51 AM

Originally posted by CharlesS:
Just edit the /.hidden file and add Network.

Thanks but I tried that. You haven't made that work have you? It looks like the hidden file only hides stuff at it's own level and since I can't add a file at the root root level I can't even create a new one. Any other ideas for hiding the damn thing?

dfiler · Apr 22, 2003, 09:50 AM

Originally posted by mrtew:
I've heard people asking about the ugly idiotic NetWork icon for years now and no one has ever answered the question of what I am supposed to do with it. Every time I set up someones Mac with OSX they say, "Cool, I want to connect to a network" and start clicking on that icon. I then have to explain that that is either a joke or a bug and you need to just try to forget it's there because you can't get rid of it and you can't get it to do anything, and no one knows where it came from etc etc etc.

Heheh... funny thing is... this exact same topic has been popping up for over a decade. NeXT's top level 'Network' has been confusing people since we were running on motorolla 68k CPUs.

In other words: Don't hold your breath.