Continual SMB Problems

Question

I really have searched for the answer to my specific problem but nothing has really satisfied my problem as of yet. Much to the chagrin of everyone I work with, I purchased a Mac two years ago. I had major problems getting my E-mail set up with Entourage and the IT folks we hired couldn't do a thing. After much fiddling and researching, I was the one to finally figure out how to at least get my E-mail.
I still do not, however, have access to the server (shared files, printers, etc.). I gave up a Saturday to sit at my computer with our Microsoft Certified something or other as we talked on the phone with MS support and walked through a confusing set of commands in Terminal. It did not net the desired results.
Today, I got this forwarded E-mail from our Business Admin. that came from the company we've hired to take care of our computer needs.
+Regarding Macs on a Windows Network:+
+We'll need the connection procedure. I spent two hours with Microsoft Senior Technical Support with M-- and the Microsoft commands didn't work on the Mac. It doesn't appear to be a problem with the Microsoft Windows Network, it is a problem with the Macs connecting to the existing network. I would think there would be similar challenges trying to operate Microsoft Windows on an AppleTalk network.+
+F--'s network was not designed with Mac computers in mind. It is a Microsoft Windows network. We are happy to work with non-spec equipment, but it will require Technical Support from the vendor or manufacturer. Please ask D--, M-- or T-- to contact who they bought the equipment from (or Apple directly) and obtain the correct+
+procedure for connecting to the Microsoft Windows Small Business Server network. We'll gladly execute that procedure.+
These guys DO NOT like having to "waste their time" trying to figure out how to get us online (which in our situation, btw, is almost akin to telling the president and two sr. vp's of a company that it's their problem and they'll have to fix it.)
Any guidance from my enlighten brethren and sistren
Message was edited by: revmhj

Answer 1

Yes, my technical acumen is quite low which is part of the reason my blog isn't working right now
First things first: *Thank you, Rick, so much for your help!* I am able to access my folder on our server and I'm sure it won't be long until I'm printing over the network. You were very helpful.
I'd also like to clear up what might be a misconception based upon my unclear communication above. I was trying to write like a business person to make it easier to see where I am coming from. I am an associate pastor at a fairly large United Methodist Church. Every piece of electronic equipment that I use (computer, printer, labeler, camera, etc) is something that I purchased for use in my vocation. In the UMC pastors get moved around quite regularly and thus a Mac user might wind up in a Windows only place or vice versa (which happened to a friend of mind who went into a Mac-only environment). It's really not fair to expect us to shell out the money for a comparable Windows machine once we've invested, sometimes in a small church with no staff or network) a couple of thousand dollars in a Mac and its software (check out the prices on the modules at accordancebible.org to get an idea of what we spend on that!). So it's really helpful when we can figure out how to work together on the same server even though we might run different OS's.
I realize I came off a little arrogant in my original post and for that I'm sorry. It's been a little frustrating to not be able to use our network to its fullest capacity for the last two years. Now I appear to be able to do that and I am deeply grateful for all of the suggestions.