Use shell settings to follow system policy
System policies provide a powerful mechanism for increasing
control and manageability of computers across the network. Admistrators can
override local registry values for user or computer settings so that when a
user logs on, system policy settings overwrite the current settings in the
user's registry. This allows administrators to control individual desktop and
registry settings.
It is vitally important that your application follows the system policy set by the
administrator. Abiding by system policy is usually simple; it’s just a matter
of awareness. Just bear in mind that your program may be operating in a secure
environment, and that you shouldn’t do anything to override policy settings.
The following sections contain a few simple guidelines to bear in mind when writing your application. The most important things to remember are:
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Be aware of and honor system policies. System policies are a great feature for administrators, but they’re only
effective if applications don't override them. Typically, the shell enforces
most system policies, but if your program extends the shell or offers shell like
functionality, you’ll need to enforce policies.
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Reflect policy changes in your UI Allowing administrators to turn off features is a great way to lower TCO. However, it is
important to make sure your application’s UI responds in a positive way to
features being turned off. If this isn’t done properly, you run the risk of
actually increasing your TCO.
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Behave well with hidden files. As Windows moves forward, more files and folders will be hidden, to reduce
complexity for the user. Your application will need to be aware that some of its
files, or system files and folders, may be hidden.