that ldap would be central to this book. How are you going to manage user accounts with linux desktops without it? One could still use NIS (which is easier), but that doesn't play too nice with windows. With samba/ldap/linux combo, you can truly have a multi protocol auth server with everything stored in a directory. What does the author reccomend as an authentication system?

the main issues to me with linux desktops are:
* authentication system (needs to be cross platform), meaning pam and ldap
* automounter (for roving home dirs, etc)
* nfs

You says everything was "server oriented" but that's how it should be - if your linux desktop isn't centrally managed you're doing it wrong.