I can't agree with this - if the termination of a transmission line is correct at each end, then the length has no matter at all for any frequency (in theory, not accounting for increasing losses with frequency, but then there's a reason for length restrictions in the CatX/Ethernet standards).

If you're talking about a *tuned* line (eg a stub or a tuned antenna feeder), then length is important. But we're not. If you've got problems with harmonics or matching and reflections then your ethernet cards are probably bottom-shelf knock-offs.

The problem with premade-lenght cables is you're going to run into tangles if many changes are made, and are going to end up coiling. Make that coil too tight and you're going to cause crosstalk. A custom job with all cables neatly following defined routes with no coils, twists or kinks is going to make life easier in the long term.

Big companies? Small ones too. If a machine is having problems that can't be quickly diagnosed and fixed, then we re-image from a central repository (which stores one standard image for each type of PC we have purchased) - no interaction is needed so the IT staff can get on with something more productive than clicking dialog boxes and installing drivers.

Although having everybody running a thin client to a Terminal Services cluster would be so much easier...

Alex

Linux got me into the business and I'm going to stick with it. I agree there are a lot of weenies out there, but there are just as many on the Windows side. Every time I want to recruit to my team, I get dozens and dozens of CVs (after the initial HR weeding process) of obvious fresh-out-of-high school applicants who've got a couple of Diplomas (largely MS/Visual Studio based) but no real interest in IT of any sort - they see it as a stepping stone to Management (invariably the m-word is one of the courses they've done) and only shoved Linux on the CV because it was in the advert and they're chancers.

The very, very few that I employ are people who've tried stuff at home (doesn't have to be Linux, just something that shows curiosity, drive and a broader mindset - eg hacking their Xbox or deploying a media network) and are really enthusiastic to learn and progress their skills in the field. Even if some of these people are only partially aware of FOSS I can easily see their interest piqued once it's fully explained to them. Getting them to see the bigger picture in terms of enterprise integration is a matter of nurturing that as their experience grows.

The management-wannabees sometimes slip through when they're really sly but we have this thing called a probation period for a reason ;-)

Oh, and just to brag, my personal record for setting up a Samba domain with LDAP and an authenticated Squid proxy with an IMAP mail server (LDAP auth) stands at 2 hours and 40 minutes (it was an offshore business and I had little time before my flight home after installing all the boxes in a rack and setting up the 5 workstations and 3 printers). Much caffeine was consumed - but I guess that's a given!