Your point about various GPO settings being version specific is absolutely correct. I will say that I definitely do not want to manage options via clicky-click

Your point about various GPO settings being version specific is absolutely correct. I will say that I definitely do not want to manage options via clicky-click. Local policy editing (and domain group policies in the enterprise) have been a replicable, scalable way to manage settings in a Windows environment since at least XP/Server 2003 (the earliest Windows client + server environments I've admin'd IIRC). Configuration outside of LP/GP doesn't scale particularly well beyond personal use, I'd say and as such I get what the other poster was driving at.