Slashdot has gone to hell. Ask yourself this question. Am I really familiar with MS Active Directory and Group Policy management, as well as Unix administration, to the point where I can make a recommendation on how to maintain a network of Unix/Linux computers using AD and Group Policy (or equivalents)? If not, why are you making suggestions or claiming that the OP is doing something wrong?
The OP and a few other posters get it and the rest of you don't and are making asses out of yourselves.
Group policy is extremely useful. Here is the super short description. Group Policy is like DHCP, but for user and computer settings. Meaning, when a user logs on, all of these settings that are appropriate for him and his computer (which are a part of an organization) automatically happen. No configuration of that user's computer is necessary other than "joining it to the domain." The next day or next week or next year when a change is needed, it can be made in Group Policy and it is a done deal. Administrators who are used to this method of management probably like it and are unlikely to change away from it. It would increase adoption of Linux if we could provide most of the functionality of AD and GP on Linux on the server side and the client side. Samba 4 will be a big step in that direction. But what about the client side? A lot of the Group Policy objects could be just as useful in administering Linux workstations, servers, and users and groups that are members of a "domain."