IANAL, so this is just armchair quarterbacking but, if YOU bought the laptop, it's YOUR laptop. This is assuming the boss doesn't want to tag it as a company laptop in return for reimbursement.

Just because I do work on my home PC (which I do), doesn't mean the company has any right to it.

Once again, NAL, but I don't think this gives them an avenue. If the company guys me legal pad and a pen, and I write "[A] Great American Novel", it doesn't give the company any rights to my work. I think you're being a bit paranoid.

Think about everything that would have to fall in line for this to happen:

You'd actually have to come up with an idea or work, worth 'stealing'.
The company would have to know about it AND care enough about it to steal it, or try to claim it as their own.
Would have to prove that the laptop you used was indeed owned by the company AND
That you did the work on the laptop.

It's more like putting up road barriers to a couple of city blocks because the street is known for prostitution and drug dealing. Even if it has legitimate businesses.

MPG.

It's just titled Warcraft. Remember those RTS games and books? I'll pretend it's based on those instead of WoW.

Though a character named 'Leroy Jenkins' would be hilarious.

Yes, it's called message center plus. It's an extremely easy uninstall, however they mask it as an 'update' when it is really just adware. Bad move on Lenovo's part.
And my entire (large) company uses Thinkpads, I bet the helpdesk is going nuts today.

It's amazing how people don't even read the summary. PC makers will ship Windows with a browser. It might not necessarily be IE.

10. Chump
9. Chumpette
8. Yours
7. Up
6. Pimpmobile
5. Bite
4. My
3. Shiny
2. Daffodil
1. Ass

Which translates into "We'll only issue X licenses to the people with money."

How do you define competence? Add more tests? Who gets to pay for that? This would just wind up making driving schools that are insanely expensive, because you've now just made drivers licenses a limited commodity. So those who aren't deemed competent enough by your new standard, commute how? Your 'personal preference' works great until you factor in actual people.

Let me preface this with the fact that I'm a pretty hardcore geek. I'm not quite the type to dress up in a Star Fleet uniform and go to a convention, but close. I was in the USAF for 8 years as a 3c0X1 (Computer Operations Specialist). I had two duty stations, the Pentagon and Langley AFB VA. I was an E-5 (Staff Sergeant) by the time I got out. I will say this, I was given the opportunity to excel or fall flat on my face.

My first year at the Pentagon I was a telephone operator. I had gone through 6 weeks of Basic and 3 months of non-stop technical training for Computer Operations (Sys Admin on the civilian side) and I was answering telephones from 11pm to 7am. Needless to say I was very disgruntled at my initial assignment and it showed. I fortunately got through my evaluations without a mark and never got into too much trouble but it was apparent I was a malcontent. Most of the 3c0x1's stationed at the Pentagon (used to) go through the switch first, it's all civilian now, thank God. From there they would evaluate you and put you in a different IT shop. My friend who put in a bit of effort now and again worked network security for 3 years. I got stuck working on a 30 year old mainframe, processing message traffic for the remainder of my time at the Pentagon.

Fortunately I was given an assignment to Langley where I did Sys Ad work for an Intel Squadron. I worked on all types of equipment with applications and systems that you don't see outside of government operations. I saw that if I showed up on time, uniform straight and put in some effort day in and day out I was rewarded accordingly. The Major I worked for (not directly he was 4 people higher in my chain) noticed my work, said it was appreciated and put me in charge of an even better network with MUCH higher visibility. I was in charge, I had 3 people that worked for me and if they screwed up, it was my screw up. We did everything from scripts to SAN to Email, UNIX, Linux, you name it. The only thing we didn't do was routers, switches and cables. Life was good, my job was great.

In 2006, when it was time for my second re-enlistment, I tested the waters with my resume and I was astounded that I got offers in the 6 figures with only 4 real years of experience (plus an AS in Information Systems and a TS/SCI clearence). I got out and took a job as a contractor for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Ironically, I stayed in Virginia for 8 years in the Air Force, minus the occasional training at Keesler AFB, MI. When I worked for the NGA, I went all over the place, Japan, UK, all over the US, etc. I attribute the success, I had, to the hard learning I had in the military.

Basically I would say that, at least in the AF, if you show up to work, look good, act professional and do your job, you will generally excel. There are of course exceptions to this, however overall, I think it compares very much to how you could, or could not, be treated in the civilian world.