I can't talk about the service in the US, but here in switzerland the service for their PCs was handled by a local company, called "ESAG Services" since quite some time.
When Lenovo bought IBM, this didn't change. And the service is still quite good. We have a few 3000 series notebooks, and the quality is okay. They're a long way from a thinkpad, but that's the price difference right there.
We've had a issue with one of these devices, the V100 subnotebook. Bluetooth stopped working one day, and the Bluetooth module just wasn't visible in the device manager anymore - i bootet the machine to Linux, where the USB Bluetooth device wasn't visible either. I called them up, told tham what i saw. Sent in the machine to the specified address, and got it back three days later, with everything working fine.
I had Vista running on my old R51, which died a few weeks ago. I got a new T60 - that was around 3.2.07, and Lenovo already had all the drivers out. Ultranav, Rescue and Recovery, Mobile Center Extensions, Fingerprint Reader, Wireless, Bluetooth, Hard Disk Protection.
All working flawlessly. I still haven't got my Lenovo Vista CD with Express Upgrade, so i've got this machine running with a normal VLP License.
Quite nice of Lenovo to support all the hardware at release time. The PC's are less of a problem - they don't have as much fancy stuff as a notebook.
Well, it depends on the equipment you buy - a lot. The el-cheapo crap i have at home (a Level-One ADSL-Ethernet Bridge, a Linksys WRT54GL) came both wide open, with no reminder to change defaults. The Linksys also came with a fully open WLAN by default.
On the other hand, these 5 new access points i bought for my companies office Cisco 1131AG, came with a disabled radio interface. It had to be brought up manually. However, their web interface still sucks, and didn't remind me ot change passwords (which was a non-issue, since i had to include them into radius, enable ssh, etc. pp.).
Ctrl + Esc + r doesn't bring up a run prompt. Ctrl + Esc + l doesn't lock the machine. Ctrl + Esc + x doesn't bring up the mobile center. Ctrl + Esc + e doesn't bring explorer.
A regular user without admin rights can't run any program with admin privileges, ever. Of course said user can use runas (or their graphical counterpart), and give the program U:PW for administrative privileges.
Now, the default user Vista creates at install time is an administrator - but the default token said user gets is the same of a regular user. Now, if you want to run a setup program, Vista will elevate the privileges of such administrator accounts to the administrator level.
It's really quite similar to sudo, except that it doesn't prompt for passwords. But, if you want, you can do even that, through group policies.
Actually, in my experience, setting up a PPTP server was a complete and total pain in the ass. I had tried PoPToP on my Linux server (didn't know of any other solutions at the time, and wasn't going to Windows for my server), but I got frustrated as all hell trying to get it working. Even when I thought I got it working, I could never get the clients to connect properly. Hmm, i didn't have much problems doing this. For earlier versions of Linux, a kernel patch for MPPE was required, but since then this has been integrated into the Linux kernel. For some time, there was a rather nasty bug in the Linux kernel, preventing MTU detection from working PPTP MTU Problems - but this has been resolved since then.
As far as "nicely integrating with the OS", well, if you want an easy OpenVPN client solution, pick up OpenVPN-GUI for Windows or Tunnelblick for OS X. They're GUI frontends for OpenVPN that, once you get the config and key files into the configuration directories, connect/disconnect with a couple of mouse-clicks. I've looked at these solutions again about half a year ago. At that time, i didn't feel comfortable guiding a sales rep or a person with similar IT know how through the procedure through the phone - this is different with Windows's and OS X's PPTP client - they're idiot proof. And that's my main reason for using it.
And more problems; OpenVPN and u:pw authentication against Active Directory doesn't seem to be easily possible.
I use OpenVPN a lot, but only for site-to-site configurations. For roadwarriors, i recommend PPTP.
Why?
Both OS X and Windows (from 2000) have a native PPTP client. PPTP uses GRE, so it doesn't work with routers that don't support VPN Passthrough, but nearly 99% do. The ease of deployment of PPTP is massive - OpenVPN requires a lot more work, and isn't as nicely integrated into the OS as PPTP on both OS X and Windows.
For the server side, you can create a PPTP server on almost everything. I usually use Linux boxes with authentication against active directory. But Windows Server can also play PPTP servers, which is especially nice in Small Business Environments.
But when 2 Linux Boxes are involved, OpenVPN is king. It can even get through the most restrictive firewalls, which can be kinda nice. And it works flawlessly. I use it to connect branch offices or for remote maintenance for key customers.
Someone being taught how to do something is now going to go out and do it are they not? There's no problem with teens having sex with other teens - The problem starts when they don't use condoms.
What do they have to lose especially when we say that the condoms will even minimize the chance of pregnancy? Not much. They gain life experience. See, the human body has certain properties. Biologically, most women are able to start getting pregnant from 11 to 14. No matter if you believe in the Evolution Theory, or the Young Earth story - this means that this is "by design".
Abortion kills. Well. No. Killing implies sentience.
You will never be able to stop kids from talking to each other to spread how great sex is That's why we should make them aware on how to minimize risks. Sex is very important in todays society. Kids have to be taught why and how they should have responsible sex - and there's nothing wrong with having that.
Of course there's also a risk associated with having sex with a condom and the pill - you can still get pregnant or get aids. But the risk is minimal. You can also get hit by a car if you walk the street with green lights - but you still walk streets, don't you?
The teenage pregnancy problem is because of lack of sex education. You'd need to talk plain text to these kids at an appropriate age (12 or so), about what sex is, what can happen, and how to prevent problems which might arise when having sex, like pregnancy, STDs, etc.
In fact, i don't see teenage pregnancy as a big risk. Pregnancies usually doesn't kill people, it just requires you to deal with a child or an abortion. AIDS isn't so forgiving.
I didn't RTFA, but in countries like Switzerland, we have regular wiretestings. You're obligated to do them, if you don't do them, you will get disconnected from the Grid.
Most B2B shops i know here in switzerland use a cert signed by a well-known CA.
However, most internal IT like webmail (Outlook Web Access or Lotus), etc. uses internals CAs, which are only recognized on managed machines (Active Directory, Novell, whatever).
We've replaced an IBM InfoPrint 1220 (a Lexmark rebadged) with a Color LaserJet 4700dtn about a year ago.
The printer has been solid, the drivers are WAY better than the IBM/Lexmark stuff. We're an IBM BP, so i mostly have to deal with IBM/Lexmark printers, and i prefer HP printers. Everything from the WebUI, to the drivers is better, offers more options, causes less problems, and the service is better too.
Of course, all desk printers i've ever encountered suck. That's why you buy workgroup printers.
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I can't talk about the service in the US, but here in switzerland the service for their PCs was handled by a local company, called "ESAG Services" since quite some time.
When Lenovo bought IBM, this didn't change. And the service is still quite good. We have a few 3000 series notebooks, and the quality is okay. They're a long way from a thinkpad, but that's the price difference right there.
We've had a issue with one of these devices, the V100 subnotebook. Bluetooth stopped working one day, and the Bluetooth module just wasn't visible in the device manager anymore - i bootet the machine to Linux, where the USB Bluetooth device wasn't visible either. I called them up, told tham what i saw. Sent in the machine to the specified address, and got it back three days later, with everything working fine.
Yeah, because machines running XP or Linux never die :)
Lenovo is doing these things A LOT better.
I had Vista running on my old R51, which died a few weeks ago. I got a new T60 - that was around 3.2.07, and Lenovo already had all the drivers out. Ultranav, Rescue and Recovery, Mobile Center Extensions, Fingerprint Reader, Wireless, Bluetooth, Hard Disk Protection.
All working flawlessly. I still haven't got my Lenovo Vista CD with Express Upgrade, so i've got this machine running with a normal VLP License.
Quite nice of Lenovo to support all the hardware at release time. The PC's are less of a problem - they don't have as much fancy stuff as a notebook.
Well, it depends on the equipment you buy - a lot. The el-cheapo crap i have at home (a Level-One ADSL-Ethernet Bridge, a Linksys WRT54GL) came both wide open, with no reminder to change defaults. The Linksys also came with a fully open WLAN by default.
On the other hand, these 5 new access points i bought for my companies office Cisco 1131AG, came with a disabled radio interface. It had to be brought up manually. However, their web interface still sucks, and didn't remind me ot change passwords (which was a non-issue, since i had to include them into radius, enable ssh, etc. pp.).
Ctrl + Esc + r doesn't bring up a run prompt.
Ctrl + Esc + l doesn't lock the machine.
Ctrl + Esc + x doesn't bring up the mobile center.
Ctrl + Esc + e doesn't bring explorer.
And thank god for them.
When you're a windows user, you really need those two keys in order to use windows's keyboard shortcuts - which you want to.
When you're a linux/bsd/whatever user, you've got yourself a nice set of "Meta" keys.
That's easy. Just whitelist all the pages which are not social networking pages.
And that would be porn, with a few slides of usable content.
I'm sorry, but you are wrong.
A regular user without admin rights can't run any program with admin privileges, ever. Of course said user can use runas (or their graphical counterpart), and give the program U:PW for administrative privileges.
Now, the default user Vista creates at install time is an administrator - but the default token said user gets is the same of a regular user. Now, if you want to run a setup program, Vista will elevate the privileges of such administrator accounts to the administrator level.
It's really quite similar to sudo, except that it doesn't prompt for passwords. But, if you want, you can do even that, through group policies.
Yes, an Abortion is a pretty harsh measure - and it will have lasting psychological implications. But it's better than screwing up two lifes.
And more problems; OpenVPN and u:pw authentication against Active Directory doesn't seem to be easily possible.
I use OpenVPN a lot, but only for site-to-site configurations. For roadwarriors, i recommend PPTP.
Why?
Both OS X and Windows (from 2000) have a native PPTP client. PPTP uses GRE, so it doesn't work with routers that don't support VPN Passthrough, but nearly 99% do. The ease of deployment of PPTP is massive - OpenVPN requires a lot more work, and isn't as nicely integrated into the OS as PPTP on both OS X and Windows.
For the server side, you can create a PPTP server on almost everything. I usually use Linux boxes with authentication against active directory. But Windows Server can also play PPTP servers, which is especially nice in Small Business Environments.
But when 2 Linux Boxes are involved, OpenVPN is king. It can even get through the most restrictive firewalls, which can be kinda nice. And it works flawlessly. I use it to connect branch offices or for remote maintenance for key customers.
I want a black, gay, muslim woman for president!
Of course there's also a risk associated with having sex with a condom and the pill - you can still get pregnant or get aids. But the risk is minimal. You can also get hit by a car if you walk the street with green lights - but you still walk streets, don't you?
The same thing when a women accuses a man of raping her. He gets arrested, and thrown into jail.
Who would want to see a naked 80 year old man anyway?
The teenage pregnancy problem is because of lack of sex education. You'd need to talk plain text to these kids at an appropriate age (12 or so), about what sex is, what can happen, and how to prevent problems which might arise when having sex, like pregnancy, STDs, etc.
In fact, i don't see teenage pregnancy as a big risk. Pregnancies usually doesn't kill people, it just requires you to deal with a child or an abortion. AIDS isn't so forgiving.
I think it was 5 years. Maybe 10.
I didn't RTFA, but in countries like Switzerland, we have regular wiretestings. You're obligated to do them, if you don't do them, you will get disconnected from the Grid.
Hmm, i'm having a hard time understanding this.
I administrate small exchange systems (up to 50-100 users). I've set message retention to 360 days, so users can restore single mails on their own.
For older, full mailbox restores, i just use recovery storage groups and a dummy account. Works fine.
Why doesn't that work in your environment (as said, i have no clue about enterprise it)?
If you're in such a position, you probably earn enough money so that DRM doesn't matter.
Here's why that won't help.
Seriously, where's the problem with porn? It doesn't harm anyone. Not even kids.
I don't agree completely with you.
Most B2B shops i know here in switzerland use a cert signed by a well-known CA.
However, most internal IT like webmail (Outlook Web Access or Lotus), etc. uses internals CAs, which are only recognized on managed machines (Active Directory, Novell, whatever).
We've replaced an IBM InfoPrint 1220 (a Lexmark rebadged) with a Color LaserJet 4700dtn about a year ago.
The printer has been solid, the drivers are WAY better than the IBM/Lexmark stuff. We're an IBM BP, so i mostly have to deal with IBM/Lexmark printers, and i prefer HP printers. Everything from the WebUI, to the drivers is better, offers more options, causes less problems, and the service is better too.
Of course, all desk printers i've ever encountered suck. That's why you buy workgroup printers.
Not to the server room, saves, or executive offices.
There's an easy (and legal) way to clean HP/Lenovo/Dell machines from all the crap.
Step 1)
Get ahold of a Windows XP Pro/Home/MCE (the one matching your license) CD Image. Try piratebay.org, or MSDN if you have a subscribtion.
Step 2)
Modify setupp.ini on the CD, so setup will accept OEM keys (just google for setupp.ini)
Step 3)
Install
Step 4)
Enjoy your Games or work