I would advise you to stay far away from hosting environments that are that lame.

I certainly agree with that sentiment! Unfortunately as a consultant you don't always get to specifiy the environment. In a reply elsewhere in this thread someone said I should be happy to be rid of the client. There's more truth to that then I want to get in to here!

I bring up this extreeme case mainly as a lesson that demonstrates the addage "keep an open mind". Lots of Monks (including myself) become spoiled by having environments that let them do whatever they want/need to. Sometimes, thankfully rarely, you have to resort to "bear skins and stone knives" to practice your craft.