I'm glad that you found them useful. I have a few more to put up but I stopped because the friend I originally created them for went back to Windows 7. I'll see if I can get them up sometime soon.

I'd probably try out LittleSnitch to see if you like it. Quicksilver... before anything else. I have another screencast I can upload for some of the more advanced settings, or you can check out some of the ones Merlin Mann did @ 43 folders. Then I'd try out whatever virtualization software you are going to use (VM or Parallels), or try them both. For the Cisco stuff see if you can find Shimo 1.07 (the last free version) for quick launching VPN. D/L the VPN client internally for the profiles & certs. Use CUPC for VOIP. Adium for Chat. Dropbox to sync files between the office desktops/home computer and the laptops. Remote Desktop Client. VLC. I use Evernote for note taking, but if you want low overhead virtualization of OneNote I think I have an unused license of Crossover here somewhere. You get a Office 2008 install @ Cisco too, grab it for the Mac versions. That should get you started until I get back.

If only I could figure out this comment system so I could ban Bill. ( :-) )

I think that it is. It is the first application that I install on my Mac (with the possible exception of SuperDuper). I like being able to control what information is going out of my computer and into the great unknown (or in the case of Little Snitch, the readily identified). It is a bit "in-your-face" when you first get it setup and as it acclimates to the system you'll get a few more prompts than normal but once it settles I find it to be rather seamless. You know my tendency to install new apps just to check them out, so this gives me an extra sense of security.