Enterprise computing for non-geeks

Hello, and welcome to your new laptop from your employer, Enterprise X. We know that you're old laptop didn't need replacing, but this way we'll be able to ensure that you're up to date with all of our corporate policies and the applications that support them.

Firstly, you'll notice that although you have a 'mobile' computer, if you do take it out of the office you'll have to use your secure token to VPN (or dial-in) to use the internet. It's a big bad world out there, and we like to look after you.

You'll also notice that we've kindly given you 'admin' access, although you have to request this through our control panel and explain why you need it. Although your new laptop is capable of using the latest 'mainstream' applications, we've decided to give you the old versions, after all, that's what you're familiar with.

We've also done some great work to enable automated syncronisation of your 'My Documents' folder to the tune of two whole gigabytes, how you'll use that, we'll never know! We also have this great way of saving email space, instead of giving you standardised email access through POP or IMAP, we've used a series of vendor products to safeguard your email by only showing you the subject and the sentence or two until you really need it. Neat huh? We've recently increased the email storage size to 40MB to take advantage of this space saving. Who really needs 6GB indexed and search-able web mail anyway?

Finally, we've added the ultra secure 802.1X network authentication to your offices, but don't worry, as you're using approved hardware this will all be taken care of...

*stops*

*installs ubuntu*

The Ubuntu Problem

...is that I think I've accepted it as my default OS now days but it'd causing me problems that I don't want to have, and they are mainly work ones.

I've been using Ubuntu at home now for several months and am very happy with it. The only exception is that I can't watch Arsenal highlights on http://tv.arsenal.com, damm content protection + WMV crap! That means my 'media' machine is Windows; it's the computer with my video and music which is also hooked into my living room TV (sweet!).

However work is another problem. My work machine is a HP Compaq NW9440, a monster of a laptop, and these are the issues I'm facing:

1) Graphics card seems unsupported - this results in the computer freezing from time to time, resulting in the need for a restart (feels like Windows 95 again sometimes). This isn't a problem on my personal Ubuntu based laptop.

2) Microsoft Exchange, mail server - this is used at work, and let's be honest, Outlook is the best companion for Exchange, and the webmail through Firefox sucks. It requires a mixture of Evolution mail client, web mail and Outlook in a virtual. All compromises. No GMail for work unfortunately.

3) No Linux VPN client - means I have to use a virtual to VPN into my work network, again sucks.

4) When I plug a projector/monitor into the laptop, the whole thing barfs, needing a restart. I need to give a presentation next week and I can't do it using this machine - will I need to partition and install Windows just to do a presentation?

5) Livemeeting and Windows Conferencing - both heavily used amongst peers, neither work on Linux.

I want Ubuntu to work for me at work, but I'm struggling at the moment.