Can I enable simple finder for network accounts?

This was possible (drop dead easy) through MCX. It was one checkbox. If you are supporting older machines, you might still be able to push out MCX settings. My experience with 10.8.x is that MCX is inconsitent at best.

In Profile Manager... Best suggestion is to look at creating a custom profile. For what it is worth, this is the default MCX setting if the Simple Finder option was set on a user. Note the InterfaceLevel = Simple.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">

<plist version="1.0">

<dict>

<key>mcx_application_data</key>

<dict>

<key>.GlobalPreferences</key>

<dict>

<key>Forced</key>

<array>

<dict>

<key>mcx_preference_settings</key>

<dict>

<key>AppleShowAllExtensions</key>

<false/>

</dict>

</dict>

</array>

</dict>

<key>com.apple.finder</key>

<dict>

<key>Forced</key>

<array>

<dict>

<key>mcx_preference_settings</key>

<dict>

<key>AppleShowAllExtensions-immutable</key>

<true/>

<key>FinderSpawnWindow</key>

<false/>

<key>FinderSpawnWindow-immutable</key>

<true/>

<key>InterfaceLevel</key>

<string>Simple</string>

<key>NewWindowTargetIsHome</key>

<false/>

<key>NewWindowTargetIsHome-immutable</key>

<true/>

<key>OpenInColumnView</key>

<false/>

<key>OpenInColumnView-immutable</key>

<true/>

<key>ShowExternalHardDrivesOnDesktop</key>

<true/>

<key>ShowExternalHardDrivesOnDesktop-immutable</k ey>

<true/>

<key>ShowHardDrivesOnDesktop</key>

<true/>

<key>ShowHardDrivesOnDesktop-immutable</key>

<true/>

<key>ShowMountedServersOnDesktop</key>

<true/>

<key>ShowMountedServersOnDesktop-immutable</key>

<true/>

<key>ShowRemovableMediaOnDesktop</key>

<true/>

<key>ShowRemovableMediaOnDesktop-immutable</key>

<true/>

<key>WarnOnEmptyTrash</key>

<true/>

<key>WarnOnEmptyTrash-immutable</key>

<true/>

</dict>

</dict>

</array>

</dict>

</dict>

</dict>

</plist>