From: graeme@labtam.labtam.oz.au (Graeme Gill) Subject: Re: X terminals: Suggestion for projects like SLS, MCC, etc. Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1993 05:32:29 GMT
In article <C8nLFq.IJt@rex.uokhsc.edu>, ben@rex.uokhsc.edu (Benjamin Z. Goldsteen) writes:
> The X terminal solution is probably more cost effective when you
> add everything in (including people time), but it may not be flexible
> enough. There are advantages and disadvantages as he has noted many
> times. I like the distributed solution because it offers empowerment,
> but as he has noted, his users do not worry about backup's, archiving,
> etc.
It depends on how you define "empowerment". If you compare X networking
to (say) Microsofts concept of networking, then X empowers users since
it allows users to access many application servers simultaneously, compared
to (say) windows or windows NT which only allows you to run applications
on your own desktop. X terminals relieve the user of managing the application
execution machine, a task that is often more of a burden than "empowering".
The users ability to add applications of their choice, upgrade their
application compute power, or to transfer data to/from their
machines via their own media is really a matter of the network/host
administration policy. It may be permitted, or it may not. Of course
these decisions need not be either/or, - X terminals, Workstations and
PCs can be mixed together to suit the needs of the users, the common
thread being X, and other network facilities.
Graeme Gill.