× The internal search function is temporarily non-functional. The current search engine is no longer viable and we are researching alternatives.
As a stop gap measure, we are using Google's custom search engine service.
If you know of an easy to use, open source, search engine ... please contact support@midrange.com.


  • Subject: RE: Thin Clients
  • From: Eric <Eric@xxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 09:56:02 -0700

The rumor mill says that Java isn't turning out to be as portable as it had 
hoped to be and that Perl was being considered as a better alternative. 
 Any truth to this one?

Eric Kempter

-----Original Message-----
From:   Colin Williams [SMTP:Williamsc@technocrats.co.uk]
Sent:   Monday, September 27, 1999 6:17 AM
To:     'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
Subject:        RE: Thin Clients

Are you saying that Java is not going to be the magic carpet that
everyone claims it is going to be then.

I have some colleagues who are saying it is the next big thing, and that
I need to ditch RPG, and learn Java today.
I'm not convinced, as we've seen this kind of thing before!

>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Roger Pence [mailto:rp@rogerpence.com]
>>> Sent: Friday, September 17, 1999 8:31 PM
>>> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
>>> Subject: Re: Thin Clients
>>>
>>>
>>> > I got an interesting response to my question about thin
>>> clients.  The
>>> > responding individual feels that thin clients are on
>>> their way out.  His
>>> > opinion is that they don't perform well over all and that
>>> they are not
>>> well
>>> > supported.  Can anyone agree with or dispute this opinion?
>>>
>>> On their way out! They've never been in! But seriously...
>>>
>>> A lot depends on your intended uses, what you're calling thin client
>>> computing, and how correctly you've configured the server.
>>> You _must_ have
>>> an appropriately configured server for the thin Windows
>>> model. Remember, you
>>> don't get something for nothing, and subtracting horsepower
>>> from the desktop
>>> means adding it somewhere else.
>>>
>>> There are at least three models of thin client computing, so pick a
>>> definition before you pick a fight:
>>>
>>> 1. Networkstation running a browser and green screen. Great
>>> substitute for
>>> dumb terminal.
>>>
>>> 2. Networkstation running a browser, green screen and Java,
>>> browser-delivered applications. This model didn't come true
>>> and isn't likely
>>> to. This month, Lotus pulled the plug on its e-Suite Java-delivered
>>> alternative to MS Office. Java clearly isn't science
>>> fiction anymore, but it
>>> also won't deliver on _every_ promise it initially made.
>>>
>>> 3. PC attached to Terminal Server/Citrix solution. This is
>>> a potentially
>>> good solution, but needs _lots_ of horsepower on the
>>> backend. And, MS
>>> products are just barely thin-client aware. You may spend
>>> less tweaking
>>> desktops with this model, but expect to do so at a 10%-25%
>>> performance hit.
>>> Also, expect tradeoffs with application compatibility; for
>>> example, the only
>>> version of CA/400 that 100% (almost) supports Terminal
>>> Server is Express.
>>> And, remember too, that with this model, your users will
>>> still drive you
>>> nuts with printer problems, how do I do mail merge, I can't
>>> get the menu bar
>>> I had yesterday... it's all such an ugly cycle. We all
>>> oughta open a deli.
>>> You don't have to reboot roast beef.
>>>
>>> Today, with the lower buy-in of PCs and better desktop management
>>> possibilities (such as system policies), stand-alone PCs
>>> are quite likely to
>>> be around for a long, long time.
>>>
>>> rp
>>>
>>> +---
>>> | This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
>>> | To submit a new message, send your mail to
>>> MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
>>> | To subscribe to this list send email to
>>> MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
>>> | To unsubscribe from this list send email to
>>> MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
>>> | Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator:
>>> david@midrange.com
>>> +---
>>>
+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to 
MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: 
david@midrange.com
+---
+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com
+---

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

This thread ...

Follow-Ups:

Follow On AppleNews
Return to Archive home page | Return to MIDRANGE.COM home page

This mailing list archive is Copyright 1997-2024 by midrange.com and David Gibbs as a compilation work. Use of the archive is restricted to research of a business or technical nature. Any other uses are prohibited. Full details are available on our policy page. If you have questions about this, please contact [javascript protected email address].

Operating expenses for this site are earned using the Amazon Associate program and Google Adsense.