Deployment services are good beyond lab and simple environments. In fact, the job of a computer support "professional" would include using the correct deployment tool / service based on his/her needs. As to different defaults, the "professional" job is to provide a sane, baseline, set of defaults, not to dictate to everyone what they want. A professional (yes, I've given up on quoting the word) won't skip or abandon a cost-saving, time-saving, deployment process because some users want their family pictures as the desktop background will some users want their dog's pictures. Similarly a professional won't give up on a deployment process and resort to manual installs because different people want different defaults. The professional will pick the sane, standard baseline; deploy that baseline efficiently; and handle the exceptions and true customizations via a) training or b) manual work after a bulk deployment. A professional will not accept sitting in front of the Windows (or any OS, really) installer dozens of times a week.

Can you really call yourself a computer support "professional" if you are doing a LOT of Windows installs? There are these concepts called disk imaging and Windows Deployment Services (and a host of others, google is your friend) that are far more time-efficient and computer technician efficient than "a LOT of Windows installs". Might I suggest that the proper use of these tools is what distinguishes a professional from a monkey pushing the buttons in response to the visual stimuli.

I read it for the first time only recently (I know, turn in my geek card, etc.). In the harsh light of the real future, the book doesn't even begin to hold up. Even trying to mentally adjust for the fact that I was reading it late, I couldn't get into it much. It took me an obnoxiously long, slow time to read, with continual questions to myself along the way; "why am I reading this," "Why is it considered so good," etc.

You must be new here.

Not the original poster, but ....

Nope, not in the slightest. I would expect to have to call to initialize service - as I do for cell phones, pizza delivery, etc.

Never need to use them, never bothered installing them. I've seen from someone else's connection what they are and it's nothing I can't do on my own without them (ping, traceroute, search comcast.com help files, etc.). Those Comcast tools exist for the non-Slashdot crowd.

My Jacksonville connection routes through Atlanta, my NJ connection yrs ago routed through somewhere in NY/NJ IIRC. My bandwidth has been fine in both places.

Looking forward to IP6 also (though I'll have to get rid of my $100 cheap router for a "real" one)

Well Airbus flight control systems are Windows Mobile, so a "should have used linux" is not out of the question.

It's an Airbus, if you add "engineer" and "programmer" to the list than P1 approaches 100%

XKCD isn't half as funny with just the image and not the ALT-text.

http://xkcd.com/378/

Real programmers set the universal constants at the start such that the universe evolves to contain the disk with the data they want.

You were doing excellently to this point

But this is your rookie mistake, you can't let her know that you know. I learned that in year 5 (of 14 now).

Wow, they've really made SSL easy. All I have to do is over-ride DNS settings (as you stated) and I automatically get SSL and all sniffing averted. Awesome. I guess I really am behind on this inner tubs stuff. Yeah, right ... again ... I now award you a "you fail at failing teh inner tubes".

And just how does a non-resolving reverse IP prevent detection by a Deep Packet inspection toy? I know networking isn't my IT areas of expertise, but maybe I'm missing something here ? Yeah, didn't think so. I award scientus one "you fail at teh inner tubes".

The issue here though is that the discussion is centering around governments, laws, and lawmaking. Laws and lawmaking are based on precedent, which is just another way of saying they are based on slippery slope. Governments also are based on slippery slope using a small step (or removal of a small civil liberty) to justify and implement the next not-so-small step.

No software is free and spreading that misconception is harmful. ... I along with many others tried Linux during college and I assure you, the claims you make are grossly over-stated and hinge on falsehoods. ... This is a world where Windows runs on virtually every computer and putting on a carnival show for an operating system is not helping ... I am sure if you contacted Microsoft, they would be more than happy to supply you with copies of an older verison of Windows and that way, your computers would actually be of service to those receiving them...

Nine scariest words in the English language? "I'm from the Symantec and I'm here to help"

Hush now, you'll give them ideas!