In the old days most of the comporates were using Unix/mainframe system to host their backend legacy processing applications. The Unix server had multiple dumb terminals connected to it and allowed multiple users to access the applications from different terminals. Use of Unix/dumb terminal benefits corporates in terms of lower maintenance cost of multiple PC hardware or software licenses yet still able to provide multiple access.
Over several years of evolution of software and hardware has made most corporates or smaller size companies complete PC and Windows OS users, due to the user-friendiness, the widely available software applications and the user community etc. There were some firms trying to migrate to the open source free Linux OS, as the large quantity of Microsoft software licenses contributed a huge amount of cost. But in return could be a lower productivity and complaints among the employees for at least 6 months in those non-techie firms. To them Windows is just simply unforgettable!
The M-Terminal, by MEC Holding, which could be the answer for corporates or even smaller size companies to reduce the cost of software licenses and also hardware maintenance. It’s a black box that provides ports for the connection to PC monitor, keyboard, mouse and an Ethernet port to connect to a network switch. As shown in the diagram above, using the M-Terminal, you just have to invest on PC monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers without having to purchase the complete set of PC system.
Each group of the monitor, keyboard and mouse is connected to the M-Terminal, which is then connected to a network switch or via WiFi (Additional Wireless Bridge required) to achieve multiple access to a powerful PC or server! The M-Terminal can operate like a separate PC terminal without decreasing the overall performance of either the main computer or each M-Terminal. Therefore, each unit can run any applications from the main computer independently and securely.
An M-Terminal will cost around $250 (or RM1000.00), which is much more cheaper than branded CPU set such as Dell, Acer and HP Compaq etc. This will greatly save your cost in terms of PC hardware and also the software licenses. It will likely cost minimum $600.00 for a PC to have the minimum set of software applications, such as a Windows XP OS and MS Office etc. Having M-Terminal and a set of monitor, keyboard and mouse, simply brings you back to the cost-saving Unix dumb-terminals environment but you have full and multiple access to all your Windows GUI applications on the powerful PC or server! It’s also good for home users, which you wanna share one PC among your kids and spouse.
The M-Terminal supports Windows XP Home/Prof, Windows 2000 Prof, Windows server 2000 and server 2003. It uses AoIP (All Over IP) protocol. To my understanding, this does not contribute any quantity of user licenses to the shared PC or server. As Microsoft’s CAL (Client Access License) applicable only for connection that uses the NetBeui protocol, which involves the Network Neighborhood, file and print sharing over network. Would Microsoft change thier licensing scheme if this M-Terminal showed some impact on thier licenses sales?
February 10th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Seems it’s just as similar to any dumb terminal.Might as well use an old pc to be a linux machine though, just like TESCO’s 486DX66 as a POS. In the UK, it’s even GUI’ed with Windows Embeded!
February 10th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Well, this is best for those who’re so used to Microsoft apps, such as Windows XP, Vista, MS Office and even some common apps like Macromedia, Adobe, they are still lacking of Linux support. No doubt, Linux community is getting bigger, but something undeniable is Windows and its widely supported apps having much bigger users base
February 5th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
It seems good , but only for the office which the users only use Windows OS with a MS office applications. Since the price of high performance PC going down, lets see how a Quad Core Pentium system share the resources to users without delay.