files over network

[Mango1]

new to PCs and networking. At work, I have an NT workstation using NTFS. A coworker has a Windows 98 workstation and has FAT32. We are on a NT network. I was once told that NTFS could not view FAT32 files. But, he has created several files and sent them to me via our email and I can see and edit them. I'm confused. why is that or was the information I received incorrect?

[Mingus]

NT cannot read FAT 32 on a machines local drives. It can read Fat16. But as you are sharing the files over a network it is not reading fat 32.

[Psycotic_Phil]

When sharing files / sending files over a network, all users that have access to these files can read and write to them. The fact that winnt can only read NTFS and Fat16 only applies to then local hard-drives. So any files sent across the network, or even transfered on floppy disks should be accessable anywhere.

[Mango1]

this is interesting. Any particular reason why FAT32 can't be read on local drives while they can over a network?

[Etienne]

Windows NT can't read disks that have been formatted with the FAT32 format but can read disks that have been formatted to FAT16 or NTFS.
Windows 95 /98 can't read disks that have been formatted to the NTFS format but can read the FAT16 or FAT32 format.

If you are working on a computer that has the Windows 95 operating system and want to read a file from a computer that runs the Windows NT operating system and has a disk that has been formatted with NTFS. Your computer (Windows 95) sends a request across the network to the Windows NT computer. The Windows NT operating system reads the file and (if permitted) sents the contents of the file to your computer. The transmission of the file is done by using one of the network protocols TCP/IP, NETBUI, etc.
The Windows 95 doesn't actually read the second computers hard disk.