In Windows, to map a drive. At the command prompt. Type net use machine_name. Another way is if you enable map drive in the folder options in either Windows Explorer or My Computer. You can click on the map drive button and it will ask you want shared machine and what drive. It also ask you do you want it to connect at start.

Typing ln -s /home/nkraft/html will not work. You need to type
ln -s /var/www/ /home/nkraft/html

Then change the permissions of the directory. I think chmod it 666 might work or 660. I don't think you want execution permissions on the directory. You can use Konqueror in Super User mode if want to do the gui way.

If you install SAMBA in Mandrake. It will give you an example file to help you get started. Go to samba.org for information about the file. The file is located in /etc/samba.

You should edit the apache file so you don't have to make an symbolic link for every user.