... until Media Server is released on Linux (probably never)...
If I live long enough, it will happen.
Jim, if there is any kind of secret mojo I can provide to ensure that you
do live that long, let me know!! If that happens, we're only a hop, skip, and a jump from OSX ... Muahahaha.
Skeeterfood -
If you would be buying a NAS you wouldn't be running MC from the NAS drive (obviously) ... It would be simply serving the files (through SMB protocol) to your regular windows box, and you would run MC there!
If you built a custom box to house the network drive, it would be the same scenario, you wouldn't be running MC on
that box, you would be running it on your regular Windows PC. In fact, most consumer NAS boxes just run an embedded version of Linux anyhow (with a really wimpy "processor"). I was just making the point that if you were building a box
exclusively for use as a storage "server" it would be cheaper, more reliable, and in most ways better (and require less advanced hardware too) to use Linux as the OS rather than Windows.
It is, of course, completely your personal choice. The NAS boxes are nice because they are fairly plug-n-pray (oops, i mean play). A little Linux server does give you more flexibility, power, and LOTS more upgrade options (what about when you switch to FLAC or APE and that 250-300 GB hard drive isn't nearly enough). If it is only fear that is scaring you off, I suggest you at least take a look at the cost and capabilities. I suspect that if you are technical enough to set up your own network, and set up MC in any sort of custom way at all, you should be able to get a linux SAMBA (windows file sharing) server running with little trouble.