02.1
More than an operating system
A professional task begins with dependencies already in place: the right application build, licensed features, sample files, plugins, preferences, and system policy.
Treating those ingredients as one image removes setup drift from every episode.
02.2
Version the whole desk
A golden image is a versioned workstation, not a folder of installation scripts. The operating system and the working context advance together.
When an application update changes a file format or tool behavior, the environment revision makes that change explicit.
02.3
Compose by occupation
The useful abstraction is the job to be done. An audit desk, an edit suite, and a mechanical design station each need a different collection of tools and reference materials.
Composing by occupation makes the environment legible to both the people authoring tasks and the systems running them.
02.4
Boot with confidence
A catalog only earns trust when every entry can be started, checked, and reset without manual repair.
Automated health checks turn the golden image from a promise into a known-good training surface.