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On the other side of the spectrum, there are computer policies. These policies can be applied to users, user groups or machines.

Computer policies, once implemented, are used to restrict users in what they can and cannot do. The bad part about these policies is that they can be set up too tightly, disabling the user in doing the things they need to do efficiently. It is therefore that a coherent relationship between human and computer policies should exist.

Some of my favorite, non-intrusive policies are:

• The use of themes and backgrounds can be made inaccessible with a few mouse clicks.

• A policy can be used to empty the trash in Outlook or in Windows itself. Remember that a trashcan is not an archive: When the trash collector comes by, he will empty it!

• Set the homepage for the default web browser.

• Set a default screen saver, have it automatically activated and take away the screen saver modification options.

• Set an inactivity timeout that makes sure the computer gets locked after any number of minutes of inactivity. This avoids prying eyes from being able to see what somebody is working on when they walk out.

There are many more that are not intrusive to everyday business operations and it is strongly suggested to implement at least these basic policies. Personally, I do not recommend for an unexperienced user to set up these policies, as many first time policy creators tend to 'go wild' and restrict too much. This can even lead to administrators being unable to fully access the machine.

It is, however, highly recommended to speak to your system administrator to get a number of basic policies in place. Having this done will assist in bringing downtime to a minimum and keeping user satisfaction at a maximum level.