On Wed, Jan 09, 2002 at 03:21:56PM +0000, whisper wrote: > I have a semi off-topic question for the group, mainly geared towards people > working in large envrionments (>10,000 desktops). Honestly, I would re-evaluate how important it is to have a full workstation for each of these desktops. Categorize your users into groups. For high-end users (i.e. CAD/Graphics designers, engineers, mathematicians, etc.), let them keep their workstations. For the rest of the crew, you could easily get away with diskless thin-clients. I'm a large proponent of the thin-client solutions, including Citrix MetaFrame XP. What is Citrix? Citrix is to Windows as X is to UNIX. Remember how you can run a remote X desktop with this command: bash$ X -query <xdm server ip> or bash$ X -broadcast or bash$ X -indirect <xdm indirect server ip> Citrix is the most flexible and most portable of the display client/server applications for remote Windows desktops. For rollouts and reimaging, use something like GhostDisk or the Nortan Systems Manager for pushing out software. There's plenty of Windows products out there. > Also, how have people gotten Linux in the doors at companies like this. We > have very leary managers who still equate free software with cheap software, > no matter how much time I tell them otherwise. And yet, many companies run on Sendmail, Bind, and DHCPD... Don't worry about changing your manager's minds so much as worrying about getting the job done. When you think of proposals, think in terms of features. Don't mention the name of the software you're going to use, just highlight the benefits. * Source code available for alteration/customization * Stable, production environment-tested code * Large user-base * Estimated implementation * Short turn-around for bug-fixes/"hotfixes" Then, when they ask how much it'll cost to implement, lay the bomb: * Hardware: <typical PC price> * Software: $0 Of course, they'll ask for the name of the software and how you'll manage to get it for free. That's when you give them the references sheet, etc. -- Chad Walstrom <chewie at wookimus.net> | a.k.a. ^chewie http://www.wookimus.net/ | s.k.a. gunnarr Get my public key, ICQ#, etc. Send email w/the Subject: "get help"