If your large institutional network is based on Active Directory, then it's not a million miles away from using Word. At least the old, pre-ribbon version.
Here at work I've just be asked to set up two PCs to display a web page, that shows who's logged into the phone system.
The PC's I was using before only have a license for XP, but we've already upgraded everything else in the organisation to Vista/7.
So, rather than have two XP machines on my network I'm just in the middle of installing Ubuntu 11.10.
So, Cheap PCs run linux too.
(For general information: Dell Optiplex 740, running the latest BIOS will crash whilst trying to boot Ubuntu [or xbuntu] 11.10. The solution is to press tab to change the boot options, and replace the -- at the end with mem=1G. Thought I'd put that somewhere public because it took me a couple of hours to work it out)
Either reward them for doing it well and/or punish them for doing it badly.
Although the company I work at is small enough that I can just walk over to the user's desk and ask them to walk me through the problem. It helps if as they do this, you point out what information will help you fix the problem, so maybe next time they'll do better.
I used a calculator because it bloody well told me I was allowed to.
Being able to do mental arithmetic is all very useful when you're working in a shop/bar, but if you have a calculator, and you find it quicker to work things out that way, then go for the machine, every time.
Perhaps they should put some basic maths question in the interview for the job of director of school board?
But the handy thing about ninite is that you just tick the software you want, download the installer, and it will automagically download, and install all the software you want, without the cruft that usually gets installed.
I only have to use ninite once every few months, but when I do, it saves me loads of time.
In UK English they're both spelled fuse, although personally I like the idea of the words for different things being spelt differently, even if they're pronounced the same.
I'm not sure if this is an option for you, but windows deployment services is free (assuming you already have a windows based network) and pretty straight forward to set up.
Of course, setting up the sysprep.xml files to join the machine to the domain are still a PITA.
People who didn't know how to manage their email before won't be any more effective at managing their work or their time after; they'll just spend all day on the phone instead.
I've tried installing Ubuntu on various different Dell laptops and never had a problem. They also do extended warranties if you need that.
I'm not sure if you can get it without a business account, but if you can go for the Pro support, rather than End-user. That way the tech's on the other end of the phone treat you as an equal, not an imbecile, and generally make the whole experience more pleasant.
Although personally I'd just buy something cheap off of ebay and hope.
"Why go for Linux when you have experience with Windows?"
So that the OP can get experience with Linux I'd guess, we all have to start somewhere.
As for sticking with what you know, that'd certainly be what I'd do if this was a commercial project, but as the OP goes out of their way to say they're doing it for friends I guess they don't mind a few early fails.
As for actual advice, I'm mainly a windows admin, but I can get along fine with Ubuntu, and there's plenty of documentation avaliable.
We're just investigating untangle here as well. So far it seems to be working ok, although for IP address > username mapping, you have to get each user to run a little login script.
(we haven't bothered, if someone is using loads of bandwidth we'll just track down the computer.
Back when Kevin got caught there wasn't really an IT security industry, so it was outside the law or nothing. In fact, it was stories like his and others that convinced companies that maybe they should pay someone to be keeping an eye on these new-fangled computer things, so really he's responsible for creating the industry in some small part.
Intel CPUs have been avaliable in 'OEM' form, ie chip only with no heatsink or retail packaging for many years now. The only news in this case is that there won't be a retail version of a consumer chip (although all of their mobile chips, and some of the server ones come without heatsinks as well).
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In UK English we'd call it a hollow.
They pretty much are ditching the current windows console for something a lot better called PowerShell. Been doing it for a few years now.
If your large institutional network is based on Active Directory, then it's not a million miles away from using Word. At least the old, pre-ribbon version.
The USSR did sell the US the titanium to build the SR-71 back during the cold war, although they probably didn't know what it was being used for.
So, Cheap PCs run linux too.
(For general information: Dell Optiplex 740, running the latest BIOS will crash whilst trying to boot Ubuntu [or xbuntu] 11.10. The solution is to press tab to change the boot options, and replace the -- at the end with mem=1G. Thought I'd put that somewhere public because it took me a couple of hours to work it out)
Although the company I work at is small enough that I can just walk over to the user's desk and ask them to walk me through the problem. It helps if as they do this, you point out what information will help you fix the problem, so maybe next time they'll do better.
As ever, the truth is somewhere between the two extremes.
I used a calculator because it bloody well told me I was allowed to. Being able to do mental arithmetic is all very useful when you're working in a shop/bar, but if you have a calculator, and you find it quicker to work things out that way, then go for the machine, every time. Perhaps they should put some basic maths question in the interview for the job of director of school board?
But the handy thing about ninite is that you just tick the software you want, download the installer, and it will automagically download, and install all the software you want, without the cruft that usually gets installed. I only have to use ninite once every few months, but when I do, it saves me loads of time.
It's also slang in some places for hydroponicly grown weed. Which will also cost you loads of electricity, so in some ways it's interchangeable.
In UK English they're both spelled fuse, although personally I like the idea of the words for different things being spelt differently, even if they're pronounced the same.
Of course, setting up the sysprep.xml files to join the machine to the domain are still a PITA.
People who didn't know how to manage their email before won't be any more effective at managing their work or their time after; they'll just spend all day on the phone instead.
This.
So depending on how tech savvy the person is that your talking to, you can just generate your own CYA mails.
Not that I'm recommending that anyone do that of course...
In the Venn diagram that is life, there are /. geeks who are into knitting. Exhibit A.
And those of us with no SO and no cash can then pick up your old job, and everyone is happy :)
On the other end of things, Osama bin Laden had a degree in civil engineering.
Where's some mod points when I need them?
I've tried installing Ubuntu on various different Dell laptops and never had a problem. They also do extended warranties if you need that. I'm not sure if you can get it without a business account, but if you can go for the Pro support, rather than End-user. That way the tech's on the other end of the phone treat you as an equal, not an imbecile, and generally make the whole experience more pleasant. Although personally I'd just buy something cheap off of ebay and hope.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" Arthur C Clarke.
Hey, you work at Google. Nobody has your perks or extras, guy.
I'm not your guy, buddy.
I'm not your buddy, pal.
As for sticking with what you know, that'd certainly be what I'd do if this was a commercial project, but as the OP goes out of their way to say they're doing it for friends I guess they don't mind a few early fails.
As for actual advice, I'm mainly a windows admin, but I can get along fine with Ubuntu, and there's plenty of documentation avaliable.
We're just investigating untangle here as well. So far it seems to be working ok, although for IP address > username mapping, you have to get each user to run a little login script. (we haven't bothered, if someone is using loads of bandwidth we'll just track down the computer.
Back when Kevin got caught there wasn't really an IT security industry, so it was outside the law or nothing. In fact, it was stories like his and others that convinced companies that maybe they should pay someone to be keeping an eye on these new-fangled computer things, so really he's responsible for creating the industry in some small part.
For example.