I'm newbie to Samba (just got a shared folder on a server working. So, this may be a too easy question for most of here

This is what I want:

A server "A" will be configured as a file server to be shared by some users:

- a public shared folder to be "read" by anyone;
- different shared group folders to be "read/write" by users only in that group;
- different shared home folders to be "read/write" only by individual users
- when a user logins to his own machine, the above 3 types of folders should be automatically mounted on his local machine for him to access.

How to set up this Samba file server and how to configure client machine? Considering only ROOT can mount file system, is it possible to mount different network home folders on the same client machine when different users login (one way is to mount parent folder of all these users' home folders on the server. but that makes all folders visible to anybody, which is (or NOT) bad?)?

Thanks!

you would need some reading to do.
although it shouldnt be difficult, you have to set the permissions in the smb.conf file.

read on these pages
skip the installation process, read only how to configure the smb.conf it should answer all your questions.