Network only user profile?

[jimmynot]

Am I correct in thinking that, in OS X, any user wishing to connect over the network to any shared volumes I might have needs to have a user account on my machine?

This means that I need to have a user account on my machine for everyone else on my network who I want to share files with, meaning they show up on the log in screen of my machine and have folders/files related to them on my hard drive. Since none of the other people on my network actually need to use my machine, just to connect to my shared files, is there a way they can connect to these without having to have a full user account on my machine?

Thanks in advance.

[mdnky]

To access their volumes (home folders), yes. To access one shared volume (we'll call it a shared drive), not necessarily though it does simplify things.

You have two options: Setup through SAMBA (SWAT or manual smb.conf edits) or use a 3rd Party app like SharePoints. Personally I prefer using Samba and the SWAT browser interface for it, but a lot of people tend to like SharePoints.

[jimmynot]

To access their volumes (home folders), yes. To access one shared volume (we'll call it a shared drive), not necessarily though it does simplify things.

You have two options: Setup through SAMBA (SWAT or manual smb.conf edits) or use a 3rd Party app like SharePoints. Personally I prefer using Samba and the SWAT browser interface for it, but a lot of people tend to like SharePoints.

You're saying that if I use sharepoints to set up a share, then other people on my network don't need accounts on my machine to access it? how's this work, I'm using sharepoints ATM but if anyone tries to establish a connection to my machine they need to enter their username and password first.