Multistation OS

[Wade Smart]

Mark Haney wrote:
> Wade Smart wrote:
>> 20081027 0718 GMT-6
>>
>> http://www.omni-ts.com/newsroom/linux-for-education.html
>> http://www.omni-ts.com/linux-desktop/
>>
>> A short while back I posted some questions about using Thin Clients at 
>> the local school. That fizzled out. I received a email this morning from 
>> the school wanting to know if I could setup a multi-station lab like 
>> what is in this email.
>>
>> The second link tells about what they are doing.
>>
>> This is just what I was talking about - right?
>> Just done only in one location and district wide.
>>
>> Wade
>>
>>
> 
> I fail to see how this is different from a thin-client solution.  At 
> least in it's basic elements. You are still using a single machine to 
> provide desktops to other systems.  They claim:
> 
> The Linux Desktop Multiplier, powered by Userful, allows up to 10 
> thick-client user stations to connect to a single SUSE Linux Enterprise 
> Desktop computer. User stations consist of only a monitor, USB keyboard 
> and mouse.
> 
> But, this is kinda contradictory, by definition a 'thick client' is a 
> full desktop system (more or less, including notebooks, etc).  But if a 
> 'user station' doesn't have a MB/CPU combo (all inclusive), then this is 
> nothing more than another type of thin client setup.
> 
> Personally, you'd almost be better off just running remote X sessions on 
> each system (use XFCE or something) to provide a 'full desktop'.  That 
> works pretty much the same way this setup works.
> 
> Either way you look at it, it's a remote desktop design.  Each 'station' 
> must get it's desktop from central location and it doesn't matter if the 
> 'station' is a full client or a thin one.
> 
> 
> My $0.02 anyway.

20081027 0818 GMT-6

Ah, ok. The school was contacted about this setup and they asked me if I 
knew anything about it. Im "not" suggesting they do it - I was just 
wanting clarity on the setup.

So one computer per 10 students - the resources of the pc are shared 
between them all. Even a quad core with 4gb of ram system could end up 
feeling slow.

Wade