Difficulties with sharing files and printers

[David Ryder]

Hello, er, this might be a hazard to your health :-)
2 HARDY and 2 WINDOWS computers on a LAN.

I think I have confused my system. And myself.

Talking about this Hardy computer as an example:
Hosts file first two lines:
127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.1.1 ubuntu-server.<my-internet-domain-name>.org ubuntu-server
Hostname file:
ubuntu-server

The Windows network is called CEDARS.

I installed samba and in Places>Network could see all Windows
computers, this Hardy computer (ubuntu-server) and the Windows Network
icon. Clicking Windows Network gave me the Windows network icon,
CEDARS. Clicking that showed me all the Windows computers - again.

Then I read a samba wiki and pdf - big mistake as it said I didn't need
samba to share printers and files.

So, I just uninstalled samba by synaptic using complete removal.

Now I still see all the same Windows Network and CEDARS icons but NOT
THIS COMPUTER. And when I click Windows Network>CEDARS I see the Windows
computers again.

This computer (ubuntu-server) doesn't show anywhere.

And now opening Windows computers has become very slow. And they can no
longer see this Hardy computer, ubuntu-server nor its printers. Ouch.
Double-ouch. What have I done?

You might validly ask why I uninstalled samba anyway. Well, because on
this computer I am testing Hardy AMD64 and it set up the network so that
Places>Network showed all computers - ubuntus' and Windows'. And without
the Windows Network and CEDARS icons.

I don't really like seeing all Windows computers plus the Windows
Network icon in Places Network - and I am peeved this computer isn't
there (ubuntu-server) as that probably is why nobody else can see it
now?

I need to share files and printers on the Windows computers and
vice-versa.

Can anybody help me please so I don't see the Windows computers twice
and so that I can regain sharing?

Thank you in anticipation - but if it's easy without samba I can't work
it out!

David