Cannot access Windows shares via samba

I'm trying to follow this guide to access Samba shares: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Precise Pangolin: File sharing with Samba. but I'm sure there are many of them. I've had problems with Samba before. In fact in my xx years of life on Linux I have never successfully setup Samba. The steps would be: 1. Update your system 2. Install samba $ sudo apt-get install samba samba-common winbind 3. Configure windbind $ sudo gedit /etc/nsswitch.conf and "wins" to the hosts line. 4. Reboot 5. "Having done this you should now be able to select ‘GO > Network’ from the desktop menu and view your entire Windows and Linux based network." But in my case I just see "Windows network" which is an empty folder and that's all. No shares from windows neither Linux PC's. Can anyone tell me what I'm missing or doing wrong?