Smooth Test Drive I took an early-release version of the NC-215 model, which is based on a 100-MHz NEC 4300 RISC processo r and includes a 15-inch color display, for a drive on the Syracuse University lab network. Its breadth of capabilities, despite early problems with the beta code, impressed me. As you might expect from a network computer, all administration functions are performed on the server. The frequent references to the NC as an X server found in Tektronix's documentation suggest that a working knowledge of Unix administration would be very valuable.

After I installed the NC software on the Solaris server, I needed to configure a number of parameters on the NC itself, including TCP/IP network information and boot options. The configuration process was command-driven and not as intuitive as other NCs I have tested.

The NC-215's default user interface is quite simple: It is essentially made up of a blank screen and an X cursor. By pressing SHIFT-PAUSE, I invoked an application launcher similar to the Start button on Windows. I then invoked a local Motif window manager via the launcher, which provided me with some control over the display. The launcher offered me easy access to most local applications, including telnet and TN3270 emulators, but I was surprised that I couldn't find a default menu option to run the Navio browser. Instead, I needed to log into the Solaris server via telnet and invoke a Unix utility (xpsh) to start the Navio browser. I expected to be able to reconfigure the system files to start Navio via the launcher, but I couldn't get this to work. Tektronix tech support later told me this capability is not yet supported.

Access to legacy host systems is available through functional telnet and TN3270 terminal emulators. While not as feature-rich as PC-based systems, I thought the emulators were adequate.

Perhaps the NC-215's most exotic feature is its optional support for full-motion digital video via an optional built-in hardware-based MPEG-1 decoder.

The NC-215 is a capable offering that compares favorably to other products in this class. Tektronix covers all the requirements for a mainstream NC with support for terminal emulation, a local browser with Java support and access to Windows applications via the ICA protocol. It also adds some glitz to the equation with MPEG video support.

Dave Molta is director of network and system services at Syracuse University. He can be reached at dmolta@nwc.com.