[Novalug] Windowsless Office

Bryan J Smith b.j.smith@ieee.org
Mon Aug 17 18:08:30 EDT 2015


Jeremy Arthur wrote:
> Due to contract IA requirements, we are moving to a Windows
> Domain based infrastructure.  The death knell for self administration,
> dual booting and running our favorite linux distro is sounding.

What?  Don't you have a LDAP or, better yet, an IPA domain?

I.e., instead of making this about a "self administration," make it
about "non-AD" or "peer to AD" network-based administration.

> I would much prefer moving to a Linux based infrastructure,
> but it seems like Windows is the de facto standard for
> corporate/office environments

It's the defacto non-standard (i.e., even qualifying for "proprietary"
is another story ;) ), for Microsoft (and Partner) software offices.
But it's definitely not the "defacto standard" in general.

I.e., ActiveDirectory is _only_ good for Windows attributes.  It's
_not_ good for IETF and POSIX standard network objects.

> so that is where we are heading. #include <lemmings.h>
> Survey time: Does your job require that you use Windows?

Nope.  Although that doesn't stop someone from trying to put GPOs and
PowerShell, let alone SCCM agents for UNIX (which cannot even
self-update), on Linux servers.  ;)

Unfortunately for them, I'm a current MCITP/MSCE/MCSA, and quickly
start to smack them silly when they start this non-sense.

Unfortunately for me, once they realize I understand NT and AD
internals better than them, I'm getting sucked into AD migrations,
writing LDIF and PowerShell, etc...

Unfortunately for them, I have a Statement of Work (SoW) that I
eventually have to pull out (or the parties I work on behalf do), and
stop being utilized for Windows automation.

Unfortunately for me, this usually means I'm on the end of a "losing
battle" whereby office workers eventually _destroy_ their own company,
by pushing Windows admin mentality on _key_ POSIX (UNIX/Linux)
infrastructure, and they don't realize what they've done until the
company is going under.

And ... thus ... we have what's wrong with business, and the chronic,
resulting devastation of the efficient, functional American
corporation.

-- bjs



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