Linux: The Next Thin-Client OS ?
While Windows CE has emerged as a very popular OS for thin-client computers, there's another upstart thin OS that is picking up steam: Linux. The once obscure Unix-clone OS that has been so popular with techies, Linux has some attributes that make it a viable OS for this new breed of desktop computer devices, including the ability to offer excellent performance on low-cost hardware.

According to Greg Blatnik of Zona Research, who has tracked the thin-client market since its inception, Linux is a viable player. "We expect thin clients to incorporate a variety of operating systems, as appropriate for the application environment. Linux offers robust functionality and can be confined to a small flash memory footprint. Its multithreading capabilities enable the thin client to support a range of local functions, including Internet access and multimedia. These characteristics, along with Linux's nominal cost, has lead several vendors to consider Linux as a thin client OS."

Wyse plans to use Linux as the OS for its upcoming network terminal thin-client, which provides a Citrix ICA client, as well as more extensive local application processing capabilities than can be found on Windows-based terminals. "Linux is an ideal OS platform for our upcoming browser and Unix-centric Network Terminal thin-client because it delivers a powerful open platform for the broad functionality we plan to offer," said Jeff McNaught, senior director and general manager at Wyse Technology. "It also provides us with the flexibility to keep the overall price of our Network Terminal thin clients low, has multitasking capabilities and offers a graphical user interface which we can adapt to our customers needs."

Based on a scaled-down version of the popular open-source operating system capable of being stored in flash ROM, thin clients built around Linux inherit the ability to run an array of local applications. Most importantly, these new thin clients will be capable of running a Netscape Navigator Web browser and a Java virtual machine --capabilities that don't exist with today's CE WBTs. These devices are also expected to include support for other applications, including a variety of terminal emulators and X Windows. The underlying operating system will be largely transparent to the user, hidden beneath a window manager that mimics the Windows9x user interface.

In addition to Wyse, Boundless Technologies has developed a prototype thin-client built around Linux. "Increasingly, intranets are being deployed to give distributed workers access to centralized applications and information," said Mike Oliva, director of product management for Boundless. "Our customers with intranet-based operations have expressed interest in browser-equipped thin clients as a way to further reduce costs and administration requirements at remote locations, as well as to improve customer service."

There are a couple of catches, however. First, while you'll see support for Citrix's ICA protocol, don't expect to see an RDP client compatible with Microsoft's Windows NT Terminal Server Edition. That means you'll need to run either WinFrame or MetaFrame on the back end to provide compatibility with Windows applications. Also, while supporting local clients has a number of advantages, Linux does introduce additional challenges related to the delivery of those applications to the desktop, making such a deployment potentially more complex than a pure Windows- based terminal environment.