[OPLINTECH] FW: Thin client computers

[Chad Neeper]

For what it's worth, I've used ThinStation 
(http://thinstation.sourceforge.net), which is a FOSS (Free Open Source 
Software) solution to turn nearly any old computer into a thin client. 
This way old decommissioned computers were given new life without any 
additional hardware expense. It works well with Microsoft's terminal 
services, so you can use a MS server as the back-end if you like. It 
also supports several other protocols besides RDP, so you have several 
back-end server options besides Microsoft.

If you want to purchase new TC devices, Neoware (recently purchased by 
Hewlett-Packard) makes some good thin clients with various models to 
choose from and reasonable prices.

On the back-end, you have options also. Microsoft, of course, and then 
any number of free Linux options, might be among the most popular for 
libraries. I've even used a product called XPUnlimited 
(http://www.xpunlimited.com/) to share out a Windows XP desktop to a 
small number of computers. It looks like they have a version now that 
supports Vista, FWIW. Locking down either environment probably shouldn't 
be too difficult, depending on your expertise in your chosen server 
operating system. Locking down the thin client's themselves isn't the 
issue. It's the server and the user profiles that you need to focus on. 
In a TC environment, on the server, Deep Freeze and/or the full hard 
drive protection features of SteadyState probably aren't your best options.

Then the next hurdle is trying to get your pc reservation system and/or 
print management solution to work in a TC environment...

Plenty of hands-on testing and configuring to do here before you roll 
out your solution!

Good luck!

Chad

-----------------------
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

--   Full LAN/WAN consulting services   --
-- Specialized in libraries and schools --



Lucretia Wiley wrote:
>  Sunflower BODY { MARGIN-TOP: 25px; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN-LEFT:
>  20px; COLOR: #666600; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica } IMG {
>  MARGIN-TOP: 10px; MARGIN-LEFT: -20px } Sorry, had to resend the email
>  below.
>
>  *Lucretia Wiley * *Computer Systems Technician* *Warren Trumbull
>  County Public Library* *444 Mahoning Avenue* *Warren, OH 44483*
>  *330-399-8807 ext. 141* *Email: wileyl at wtcpl.org
>  <mailto:wileyl at wtcpl.org>*
>
>
>  ------------------------- *From:* Lucretia Wiley *Sent:* Monday, July
>  21, 2008 12:36 PM *To:* oplintech at oplin.lib.oh.us *Subject:* Thin
>  client computers
>
>  ** *Good Afternoon,* ** *I wanted to find out if any of you have thin
>  client computers at your* *library being used as email only stations
>  and if so, what brands and* *models do you have? Also, how are you
>  locking them down and do * *you have a time limit as to how long the
>  patron can use the station?* ** *We currently use deepfreeze to lock
>  the computers down and PC * *reservation to reserve and limit the
>  time a patron can use a computer.*
>
>  *I would like to look into using Windows Steadystate to lock the
>  computers* *down with so any suggestions that anyone could give me
>  would be highly* *appreciated.* ** *Thanks,*
>
>  *Lucretia Wiley * *Computer Systems Technician* *Warren Trumbull
>  County Public Library* *444 Mahoning Avenue* *Warren, OH 44483*
>  *330-399-8807 ext. 141* *Email: wileyl at wtcpl.org
>  <mailto:wileyl at wtcpl.org>*
>
>
>  -------------------------
>
>  _______________________________________________ OPLINTECH mailing
>  list OPLINTECH at oplin.org
>  http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplintech
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