How do I give in users the resources to install programs onto their workstations - probably using group policy.
Answers:
You don't if you want to ensure that the computer doesn't return with virus, trojans, etc. There are ways that you can allow the users to install specific programs on their computer using AD's software deployment, but you own to build the packages beforehand. Otherwise, the solely style is by putting them in the Administrators or Power Users group, which is simply giving them full control of that box.
Put another approach, it's approaching giving them the key to your Corvette and axiom "I'm going on break for two weeks. Don't rough up my motor..." As soon as you turn your pay for, in that's going to be AIM clients, P2P programs, and anything other malware they pick up along their elated agency on the Internet installed on it. If you don't want to own to repeat your web, don't distribute the user that even of control over the workstation. Install the stuff yourself or capture a third shindig application that'll do it for you (SMS, Winstall, Altairis, etc).
WG