[K12OSN] 1 thin client = 4 terminals?

[Gavin Chester]

On Sun, 2004-07-04 at 08:34, Steven Santos wrote:
> I was reading /. today (I know, I know - bad idea...), and came across an 
> article on using 1 linux pc for 4 *local* terminals, that is 4 monitors/
> keyboards/mice attached to one local PC, allowing 4 students to use it at 
> once.  I thought it was a cool idea, then my I found myself asking the 
> next logical question: could this be done in an LTSP setup where we could
> effectively eliminate 3 PC's for ever 4 terminals?  Would it save time/$$
> in the long run?
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> (Ref: http://developers.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/03/1923255)

This is an idea that has been raised a couple of times before, but I for
one am always interested in new projects on the subject, so thanks for
the posting.  Here's past posts of mine from the archives where the
subject is discussed, one going back nearly a year to the day, by
coincidence:

https://www.redhat.com/archives/k12osn/2004-May/msg00260.html

https://www.redhat.com/archives/k12osn/2003-July/msg00301.html

While it's a pet interest of mine, it's one in which I have participate
vicariously rather than actively.  The key to all these types of
projects (including the one you cited) is the modified kernel from the
Backstreet Ruby project.  I'm too gutless and ignorant to spend time
playing with modified kernels.  Sigh.

Anyway, as I said in a previous post, my experience is that this is the
wrong list for interest in this type of project. I don't know, maybe the
fact is that establishing a network of peered PCs (each serving up to
four clients) is much more complicated and much more administrative
overhead than using thin clients built from free or dirt-cheap redundant
hardware.  For that reason (a very good one) I doubt the idea will find
any champions here, but I reckon there is a place for it
nonetheless.     
 
-- 
	Regards,

	Gavin Chester

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