Linux+Thin+Client

=What Does “Thin Client” Mean?=

Thin-client computing is a “back to the future” technology. Before the advent of the personal computer (pc), mainframe computers powered “dumb terminals,” which were reliable, affordable, and centrally controlled. The adoption of pcs by organizations as their main computing platform was driven by the variety of software being written for the pc, but resulted in the difficult tasks that most organizations are familiar with today: installing, managing, and maintaining individual computers. In a thin-client network, a powerful computer called a “server” does the actual processing tasks, while significantly less powerful computers act as “clients,” just providing the keyboard, mouse, and video-display interaction with the server. In this configuration, the server alone requires maintenance and configuration, significantly simplifying the support tasks associated with computer use.

=How Does Thin-client Linux Work?=

Linux is extraordinarily well-suited for the thin-client environment. The code-sharing capability of Linux allows a server that might be able to host relatively few Windows® sessions to handle dozens of Linux users. Older pcs are then converted to run as super-fast thin-client workstations, or new specialty thin-client machines can be purchased, and they are connected by a regular computer network to the server.

=What Are the Advantages of Thin-client Linux?=


 * Significantly decreased maintenance. This is due to both the stability and the reliability of Linux, and the fact that only the server requires any maintenance or updating. A new program for all users only has to be installed once on the server. Computer technicians can typically support 5-times as many Linux machines as Windows® machines (or more) because Linux is so trouble-free. Also, should a client workstation fail, another thin client can immediately be plugged into the system in its place--without the tedious processes of reinstalling software and restoring data.
 * No virus or spyware vulnerability. Linux has been built from the ground up with security in mind, and like the Apple Macintosh (which is based on Linux's cousin, Unix), it is significantly immune to the viruses and spyware that typically plague personal computers.
 * No software licensing or upgrade fees. There is an enormous variety of Open Source software programs available for free.
 * Log-in independence. Because all work is actually done on the server, a user can log in at any machine, having access to their saved work and preferences whether they are on a computer in their classroom, or one in the library, or anywhere else in the school that the thin-client network is set up. Thin-client Linux can even be extended to allow students and teachers to log in from outside of the school.

=What Are the Limitations of Thin-client Linux?=


 * It's not Windows®. While most students can quickly and easily switch between an Apple Mac, a Windows® pc, and a Linux thin client, many teachers and school boards are unfamiliar with Linux.
 * There are some great programs written for Windows® that just aren't available in Linux or don't have a good Linux counterpart. In most cases, schools keep some computers running Windows for these specific applications.
 * Streaming video, sound, CD and floppy access, and USB availability require special configurations to work over a thin-client network.
 * Linux technical support is perceived to be less readily available than support for Windows®.

=Why Is Thin-client Linux Such a Good Fit for Schools?=


 * In addition to the advantages listed above, Linux thin client addresses two aspects of computer use in schools that have been particularly problematic.
 * The first is financial. Schools are expected to provide computing resources for students, but many find that it is an enormous financial burden to do so. Detailed studies indicate that most schools spend on average $2400 per computer per year, factoring in the purchase price, upkeep and maintenance costs, software licenses and upgrade fees, virus- and spyware-protection measures, and staff time. If the principal has to take the role of computer technician, as is sometimes the case, his or her valuable time that is needed for other projects is often spent diagnosing and repairing computers. Many schools will spend a substantial amount to modernize their computer technology, struggle to keep it running for three or four years, and then find that they have to spend an equivalent amount again to keep current. Thin-client Linux may not meet all of a school's computing requirements, but it can take care of a very large percentage of general computer use by students (web research, word processing, spreadsheet use, and presentation-building), thereby freeing up funds for other school programs or salaries.
 * The second aspect is academic. More than ever, colleges and businesses are indicating that fewer and fewer students are coming out of school with adequate computer technical skills—at the very time that computers have become more widely available in schools. This is because the focus on Windows® and commercial (or “proprietary”) software that has dominated school teaching environments does not easily allow for the teaching of computer and programming skills. Not only is there an expense to the commercial software, but most of the code of that software is protected, or hidden, thereby eliminating some of the most significant aspects of learning that might take place. The students are then trained in what appear to be complex programs, but are actually learning skills that the business world would classify as “clerical.” Open Source programming software, which is 1) free, 2) as highly regarded as any commercial software, and 3) able to run on older computer hardware, becomes the logical choice for the teaching environment, but does not have the marketing dollars behind it which drive the adoption of commercial software by schools. The exodus of programming jobs from the United States to India and other lower-income countries would appear to be a direct result of their ability to learn those programs which are most needed, not those which have been most vigorously marketed. Linux and thin-client Linux have typically been considered only by schools that have hit a financial impasse and have been forced to search for an alternative; only then do they discover that it is often not just better for the school because of price, but also because of the end-result of its use.