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Microsoft to Release a Thin-Client Windows XP

Posted by timothy on from the see-also-ltsp dept.

repking writes "I'm reading on Brian Madden's Thin Client Web that Microsoft is about to release (don't know exactly when) two new versions of Windows XP targeting the thin-client market (This products ARE NOT the Lite XP versions that Microsoft is about to release on certain countries like Brazil). Codenamed Eiger and Mönch, these two new releases would let you 'convert' old PC into thin-client Devices. Is Microsoft trying to compete with open source projects like PXES or ThinStation?"

3 of 349 comments (clear)

  1. Why they do work by EmbeddedJanitor · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Security. Standardised software.

    Sure they don't work with sucky servers and networks, but with grunty servers, networks and reasonable software thet can work fine.

    --
    Engineering is the art of compromise.
  2. Sounds sensible for a change... by VeryProfessional · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A Windows 'Lite' (as in low resource usage, not crippled) would be perfect for many corporate environments where most users do not need or want the feature bloat present in normal versions of Windows. If this product helps companies get another couple of years out of their current workstations then I imagine this could be pretty popular.

    I don't see that this would go down very well with hardware companies though. I had always thought that there was some sort of conspiracy/cartel in place whereby the big software companies constantly bloated their products in order to drive sales of hardware. This could shake things up a bit...

  3. Re:I don't think MS can compete by LDoggg_ · · Score: 4, Insightful

    While not as nice as real thin clients, old junk machines can easily be made to be reliable with an LTSP network.

    You can get a good bootable NIC for 20 bucks, remove local devices (hard drive, floppy, cdrom) and you have a pretty reliable machine.
    Sure the CPU fan or the power supply can go out on your dumpster pentium 166s, but its not like you can't just take the NIC and put it in another junk machine.

    I've outfitted a school with 60 workstations that my company has thrown away. Pentium 133s - P2 350s.

    LTSP, specifically K12LTSP has been the perfect solution.
    Save your money for network infrastructure, flat panel screens, and internet :)

    --

    "If they have both, tell them we use Linux. And if they have that, tell them the computers are down." -Dave Chapelle