Heh, yes, right on. More to those questions, then! As for me, I haven't worked in a library with thin client solutions; but I have worked in a library with stand-alone Win9x and hated it, and I have managed a large company site with Citrix thin clients and loved it.
I'd echo wcdw's upsides & downsides and add some comments:
Your thin client solution can be a real strength if you have a strong administrator. If s/he knows the system and how to tweak it, it can be secure from user meddling and strong enough to support a lot of clients from one server (60-70). But a newbie or unavailable thin client administrator may think that the job is easy (because it's quick to install the server and connect a few clients), but will be a detriment for the longhaul. Consider this in your planning: people cost a lot more than computers, espeically over time.
For your situation, a Windows 2003 Terminal Server would be quite reasonable. The Citrix tools would add a lot of security and monitoring tools as well as the ability to use DOS or Linux clients if you wanted to save a tiny bit on the client PCs, but for a small implementation (less than a few hundred) it's really not necessary.
The Terminal Server environment is flexible to lock down, configure exactly how you want it to appear, and upgrade or make changes; especially in a case like this, where everyone gets the same settings and you're closed at night so the admin can do upgrades as necessary. Yes, it's a downer that one problem is multiplied to everyone logged in; but at the same time, the solution takes effect immediately for everyone as well.
I personally think that, although there's some value in challenging assumptions, this doesn't cut the mustard. (Some might even say it sounds more like cutting the cheese.)
According to this daring young thinker, our whole silly idea of time being a continuum from past thru present onto the future may be bunk. With the abolition of the time interval and precise measurements of place at a certain time, it solves some of the great mathematical paradoxes. You can read a better layman's summary and explanation here.
Cayce Pollard's skin would crawl, or at least more than her usual reaction to Prada merch...
On my list, RFID tracking is ranking up with "viral marketing" schemes (e.g. hired bloggers and word-of-mouth adverts).
'Course, I don't buy or wear Prada either!
I haven't used shortwave for years, but I'd love to have it again in a handy portable version (for travel in Africa) that could be connected to the computer (for recording at home)...
I've done a quick search for this, but not found anything. And, since I've been out of the loop for so long, I don't even know what companies are respected and recommended. Any/. Hams out there have some tips for me?
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Heh, yes, right on. More to those questions, then! As for me, I haven't worked in a library with thin client solutions; but I have worked in a library with stand-alone Win9x and hated it, and I have managed a large company site with Citrix thin clients and loved it.
I'd echo wcdw's upsides & downsides and add some comments:
Your thin client solution can be a real strength if you have a strong administrator. If s/he knows the system and how to tweak it, it can be secure from user meddling and strong enough to support a lot of clients from one server (60-70). But a newbie or unavailable thin client administrator may think that the job is easy (because it's quick to install the server and connect a few clients), but will be a detriment for the longhaul. Consider this in your planning: people cost a lot more than computers, espeically over time.
For your situation, a Windows 2003 Terminal Server would be quite reasonable. The Citrix tools would add a lot of security and monitoring tools as well as the ability to use DOS or Linux clients if you wanted to save a tiny bit on the client PCs, but for a small implementation (less than a few hundred) it's really not necessary.
The Terminal Server environment is flexible to lock down, configure exactly how you want it to appear, and upgrade or make changes; especially in a case like this, where everyone gets the same settings and you're closed at night so the admin can do upgrades as necessary. Yes, it's a downer that one problem is multiplied to everyone logged in; but at the same time, the solution takes effect immediately for everyone as well.
Anyway, that's enough rambling from me...
Perhaps you noted the hint of sarcasm in my tone?
EurekaAlert.org is obviously not a source for serious science news, but they're the ones that presumably broke his story. And there's even debate about whether his publicist, Brooke Jones, exists or not. I find the story and the discussion surrounding it quite amusing.
I personally think that, although there's some value in challenging assumptions, this doesn't cut the mustard. (Some might even say it sounds more like cutting the cheese.)
According to this daring young thinker, our whole silly idea of time being a continuum from past thru present onto the future may be bunk. With the abolition of the time interval and precise measurements of place at a certain time, it solves some of the great mathematical paradoxes. You can read a better layman's summary and explanation here.
The concept of time is so passe...
Cayce Pollard's skin would crawl, or at least more than her usual reaction to Prada merch... On my list, RFID tracking is ranking up with "viral marketing" schemes (e.g. hired bloggers and word-of-mouth adverts). 'Course, I don't buy or wear Prada either!
I haven't used shortwave for years, but I'd love to have it again in a handy portable version (for travel in Africa) that could be connected to the computer (for recording at home)...
/. Hams out there have some tips for me?
I've done a quick search for this, but not found anything. And, since I've been out of the loop for so long, I don't even know what companies are respected and recommended. Any
Sadly, I don't get cable TV... (Heh, a CPAN show would be a great idea: sort of like HSN, but no prices!)
Make your own bumper stickers at CafPress, no joke.