Windows 2000 is a highly complex operating system that has gained increasing acceptance in mission-critical business environments. Microsoft has reported that it has sold over 1 million licenses of Windows 2000 Server making it one of the most popular operating systems. This new title is one of the first volumes in the new Mark Minasi "Windows 2000" Series, an important new product line for Sybex that builds upon the success of Mark Minasi's previous books. It provides expert technical advice on Group Policy for Windows 2000 Server and Advanced Server. The importance of Group Policy settings is that they define the various components of the user's desktop environment that a system administrator needs to manage;for example, the programs that are available to user, the programs that appear on the user's desktop, and Start menu options.