What's on the user's PC?

I started a new job and one of the toughest challanges has been determining what applications the users have on their PCs. The users don't seem to know. A printed form with check boxes for the main, standard applications and blanks for others comes back mostly empty. How can a person use their PC all day and not know what applications they use?

One issue seems to be understanding what an application is. They can't tell the difference between a web portal and an installed program. They can't tell when one program calls on another. Worst of all, they don't know the difference between a business application and something they or their predecessor installed for fun or to test.

Much of the blame for their ignorance lies in a complete lack of policies and policing of the system. No one has ever taught them what a business application is or what unwanted software, such as the Weather Bug or an IM client is. Some of these PCs are 7 years old and they've never been cleaned between users. More RAM was added, the OS upgraded and that was all.

Cleaning up a mess like this isn't something that can be done quickly. Software policy has to come from the top and one of the worst abusers is one of the company owners. Training that person is the priority. Cleaning up systems properly and educating users as they get new or recycled PCs is also a big part, but unless upper management toes the same line, abuses will happen again and be harder to stop without causing resentment.