call for spec suggestions

[Sameer Verma]

Asmo Koskinen wrote:
> Sameer Verma kirjoitti:
>>
>> I'd recommend exploring the lowfat client angle a bit more. Perhaps make
>> it more automated. We could even have a process that allows us to pick
>> and choose specific feature sets that go into building the client (thin,
>> lowfat, fat, etc).
>>   
>
> The future for LTSP5 belongs to the fat clients, I'm afraid.
>

I'm not sure I follow you.

If you meant that fat clients are the only way to go, I would disagree.
There are still quite a few scenarios that warrant the need for thin
clients. Its just that is situations such as ours, we have brand new
machines that are being used as thin clients. They are brand new, so
they have a lot of processing power and memory. However, the decision to
buy brand new machines was made without considering the thin client
approach - these computers were purchased to run XP or Vista locally. In
our case, we would benefit by offloading the processing from the server
to the desktops, while keeping package management and backups central.
Being able to manage updates/upgrades, backups, authentication and
authorization centrally is a great plus, even in a lowfat environment.

We do have schools in the San Francisco Bay Area that do not have money
for labs, so they rely on hand-me-down slow PII and PIII machines. This
is where the thin client approach makes most sense.

> In here Finland I can buy pure Intel-based fat client for same money.
> What I loose? Maybe silence for start....
>
>
> HP Compaq dx2300:
>
> Intel Celeron D 430, 1.6 GHz
> Intel 946GZ
> 1024 MB
> 160 GB
> Intel GMA 3000
>
> 291.75 € > 25
>
>
> HP T5135:
>
> VIA Eden, 400 MHz
> Shared video, 16 Mt UMA
>
> 289 € = 1
>
>
> Best Regards Asmo Koskinen.
The costs are not really that different in the US. The situation that
benefits most from a thin client setup is one where the desktops are
donated by some organization because these machines are too slow for them.

Sameer

-- 
Dr. Sameer Verma, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Information Systems
San Francisco State University
San Francisco CA 94132 USA
http://verma.sfsu.edu/
http://opensource.sfsu.edu/