Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

"Thin Clients" that Support Linux and Windows?

Posted by Cliff on from the wouldn't-this-be-nice dept.

An Anonymous Coward asks: "I have been searching for a thin client that accesses both Linux and Microsoft systems and am dismayed to find that most thin clients only support MS RDP or Citrix ICA. Yes, I know that any old PC can be made into a 'thin client' and that X-stations have existed for many years for Unix based systems, but I will be buying new hardware for a new office that needs mainly MS connectivity. Since I am also including a Linux server or two on the network and think that Linux has a chance on the desktop, I would like to purchase thin-clients that can connect to both instead of being locked in by design from the start. This way, I can eventually move users onto Linux desktops in the future without replacing anything on the desktop." How hard would it really be to add on X11 functionality to an existing Windows thin client? While the realities of the current market makes finding such products unlikely, maybe if we can drum up the interest now there may be hope to see something like this in the future.

"I have a chance to buy top of the line hardware for this project and am looking for something that has a small footprint, no moving parts, ICA client or MS RDP, Linux connectivity (embedded X server?), a real manufacturer and a nice design that would not look out of place in a brand new, designer furnished office.

The Compaq Evo T20 serves my current needs perfectly, except that it forever locks me into Windows on the desktop, Does anybody have alternatives they can suggest?"

2 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Netvista... by vreeker · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I am in the planning stage of an internet cafe with similar needs. The thin clients that have caught my eye are the IBM NetVista N2200e or NetVista N2800e. Spec Sheets say it will do everything you've asked...

    Price is probably a bit of a kicker unless you order 50+... good old IBM.

    --
    $Canada = $US;
    $Canada =~ s/house/igloo/g;

  2. Have you looked at all? by hatless · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Last time I checked, NCD, Wyse, Tektronix and IBM all sold combo X/ICA terminals. X for the Linux, ICA for the Citrix stuff and, increasingly, direct support for Windows Terminal Server.ther than Sun

    I'd be surprised if anyone in the hardware X terminal business other than Sun didn't also support at least ICA at this point.

    Another option everyone has forgotten these days is Tarantella, the SCO product, which runs as a server both under Unix (including Linux) and on Windows and can serve either kind of application via RDP and X11 if I recall.