> make sure that it is being used on the correct machines and that it actually is the customer calling. I once read (my guess would be reddit's Tales From Tech Support) about people sending off sealed hacks with a rubber chicken rigged to the rack doors, with express instructions to NEVER OPEN THE RACK, and call if something happened. Any time someone called regarding a rubber chicken, support could tell right away their warranty was void, since they could only know this if the did the one thing they were told not to do.

Your next creditcard (in a couple years) will probably have a chip-and-pin system, which can not be easily cloned as the magstripes of today can. The analysts cited believe fraud will escalate soon, while most people still DON'T have a chip-and-pin card, since defrauding those people will be harder in a couple years.

CCP's EVE Online once accidentally erased user's boot.ini file during a major patch.. http://community.eveonline.com... They survived, and there is even a commemorative item in-game in remembrance of the event. I think Steam will work this out, too. Any word on how many were affected?

Have you SEEN OSX 10.8? >_

This only tells me you probably need a better antivirus.. :)

Actually, Google Desktop has been discontinued.. :(

Disclaimer: I've managed a large machine deployment with FOG, and developed quite a workflow and even some patches based on that. IF (that is a big IF there) all your machines are equal;, and mostly if the Windows Install is the same (as in stock windows install), FOG would be a really good choice for that.. The easiest think would then be capturing one of the windows installs, reformatting it as you see fit, and then capturing that installation, and deploying it to all the stations.. with multicast deployment, cloning 29 machines takes as long as cloning a pair of them. Don't forget to TEST. After you capture your windows machine, redeploy it to the same hardware to double-check your process!! If it fails, capture another machine and keep redeploying on the same one until you're absolutely sure it works. You have even better changes if your windows install is still factory sealed (never been booted). I've had huge success with dell machines, where I could simply reinstall a machine with factory windows as needed (full AD join), and then back to linux in under half an hour. Also, with a FOG server, you can always add other boot options to the already configured PXE environment (LTSP or ThinStation, for instance).

This is one of the times I wish I could mod and post, so I could comment on your signature AND still mod you up!

FOR NOW you replace the hellfires with patrol cars.. And when that becomes insuficient, you bring back the hellfires..

Voting is mandatory here in Brazil.. If you don't vote, you at least have to go to a precinct and fill out a justification form. Not doing that means you can't get a passport, can't get a public job and a lot of other things.. Also, if you don't show up on election day, and want to rectify the situation later, you have to pay a fine.. It's a symbolic value (like R$ 2,00 or so.. about a dollar maybe).. BUT, you have to wait in line for the whole day, probably, just to do that.. THAT is the real penalty.. :(

How else will we play Crysis??

Not quite.. but if NEXT year they ask the same question, THEN i'll have to answer at least "one".. ^^