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.