Windows 8 has a real chance at beating iOS/Android in the enterprise, which eventually makes it a challenger at home also, and this is in large part due to the ability to run Office - and *the full Office suite* at that. Why would Microsoft want to give away this advantage in exchange for short term Office sales?
You can also use psexec to run VBS scripts, or VBS scripts with user escalation (your users are running as users and not local admins, right?:P) compiled into an exe via Visual Studio Express.
Alternatively OP could ask for an agent based system such as Kaseya, Altiris, etc.
I really don't understand why a company would ban GPOs, however. That just reeks of incompetent management.
Some of the micropayments concepts are particularly interesting, because we're literally talking about nickels and dimes.
"Add $50 funds for 5000 News!" "Read this article for 2 News!"
I actually suspect that it would work quite well, but it's very foreign.
Developers are generally fluent in a minimal number of languages, on a minimal number of platforms, and can provide support for their product/code only. They often call helpdesk when anything outside of their product malfunctions.
"IT guys" are familiar with multiple scripting languages (batch, vbs, unix shell flavors), multiple operating systems (windows flavors, *nix flavors, mac, and now a dozen different smart phones), and provide support for combinations of all of the above. They call developers when their product alone is malfunctioning.
Oh, I didn't question the benefits of the laptop, I only suggested the benefits of the desktop are rarely explored by purchasers.
Ultimately my post was aimed more at small businesses and the middle market than anything else, where the TCO is significantly higher and should be a major (if not THE major) deciding factor.
For the home user, the TCO comes mostly in repair costs should the laptop ever break. If they're buying $399 laptops and using them as disposables, this is less of an issue. Most people are still spending $900 on a laptop, and then get sticker shock when the motherboard dies and Dell wants a $550 replacement board three weeks after the three year warranty expires.
You're overlooking the case and all panels, the keyboard, the touchpad, the LCD, the optical drive, the battery, the AC/DC adapter, the AC/DC powerjack (mounted to motherboards), and so on and so forth.
The sad truth is that the oligopoly of notebook OEMs aren't interested in losing their repair and replacement profit.
The sad part is that many of these people would be better off with desktops.
Desktops have a much lower total cost of ownership. (Even for home users.)
One of the many ways these companies have cut boot times is to disable S.M.A.R.T. testing at boot.
Of course, S.M.A.R.T. has saved countless users from total hard disk failure and total loss of data.
To me the answer isn't cutting seconds, but explaining the seconds. If users know that the extra 2 seconds could save them from losing their precious baby photos, I doubt anyone would complain.
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Windows 8 has a real chance at beating iOS/Android in the enterprise, which eventually makes it a challenger at home also, and this is in large part due to the ability to run Office - and *the full Office suite* at that. Why would Microsoft want to give away this advantage in exchange for short term Office sales?
If you can't piece together basic English, I don't trust your opinion on anything else.
Schneier is, in my opinion, a much more reputable source than the New York Times.
You can also use psexec to run VBS scripts, or VBS scripts with user escalation (your users are running as users and not local admins, right? :P) compiled into an exe via Visual Studio Express.
Alternatively OP could ask for an agent based system such as Kaseya, Altiris, etc.
I really don't understand why a company would ban GPOs, however. That just reeks of incompetent management.
You're not allowed to use GPOs? Why not?
Some of the micropayments concepts are particularly interesting, because we're literally talking about nickels and dimes.
"Add $50 funds for 5000 News!"
"Read this article for 2 News!"
I actually suspect that it would work quite well, but it's very foreign.
It also saves on HW - assuming you are the one service per OS/instance type.
You seriously recommend a WRT54 for an *office* with 150 users?
That is truly the worst advice I've heard in months. Congratulations.
That was what I thought at first glance, but no it is definitely referring to the architecture. (hence the forming relationships with vendors).
Core 2 Duo x128 around the corner?
Do you know the definition of "straw man fallacy" by chance?
My life story.
If you can find a way to disable this - please reply.
You hit it spot on.
I'm not a morning person. When it gets late, dark, and quiet my focus rejuvenates. All that matters is me and my work.
That's interesting. I'm also self employed and I've found that usually I get more productive towards the end of a 12 hour day.
I'd beg to differ.
Developers are generally fluent in a minimal number of languages, on a minimal number of platforms, and can provide support for their product/code only. They often call helpdesk when anything outside of their product malfunctions.
"IT guys" are familiar with multiple scripting languages (batch, vbs, unix shell flavors), multiple operating systems (windows flavors, *nix flavors, mac, and now a dozen different smart phones), and provide support for combinations of all of the above. They call developers when their product alone is malfunctioning.
An IT staff of 36 does not suggest a small company. You're probably not even the mid-market.
Good advice. Hopefully I'll remember to reference it later.
Oh, I didn't question the benefits of the laptop, I only suggested the benefits of the desktop are rarely explored by purchasers.
Ultimately my post was aimed more at small businesses and the middle market than anything else, where the TCO is significantly higher and should be a major (if not THE major) deciding factor.
Energy is a *very* small part of TCO.
See Gartner's 2008 TCO study.
For the home user, the TCO comes mostly in repair costs should the laptop ever break. If they're buying $399 laptops and using them as disposables, this is less of an issue. Most people are still spending $900 on a laptop, and then get sticker shock when the motherboard dies and Dell wants a $550 replacement board three weeks after the three year warranty expires.
You're overlooking the case and all panels, the keyboard, the touchpad, the LCD, the optical drive, the battery, the AC/DC adapter, the AC/DC powerjack (mounted to motherboards), and so on and so forth.
The sad truth is that the oligopoly of notebook OEMs aren't interested in losing their repair and replacement profit.
Intel tried to correct that.
The ODMs (ASUS, Quanta, Compal) who manufacture the notebooks were quite interested. It could significantly reduce manufacturing costs.
Alas, the OEMs (Dell, HP, Gateway) who sell the notebooks wanted none of it. Their replacement parts have a very high profit margin.
The sad part is that many of these people would be better off with desktops. Desktops have a much lower total cost of ownership. (Even for home users.)
One of the many ways these companies have cut boot times is to disable S.M.A.R.T. testing at boot.
Of course, S.M.A.R.T. has saved countless users from total hard disk failure and total loss of data.
To me the answer isn't cutting seconds, but explaining the seconds. If users know that the extra 2 seconds could save them from losing their precious baby photos, I doubt anyone would complain.
Why did the size of so many Sysinternals utilities increase in size from 1-200K to over 1MB for no change in functionality?
They added a EULA and a call to iexplore http://www.live.com./ In Redmond, that's about 800k.
You're right -- they have plenty of money, can afford good developers, and yet are still far behind on features.
Ignorance, however, is not what keeps them in business.
You hit the nail on the head.