Dummy terminals with Xserve?

[bdesign7]

Is it possible to set up a network where you have 4 or 5 people working off one computer at the same time, i.e. an Xserve or something of that nature? I assume it would be set up with dummy terminals at their work stations, and is possible, but I don't really know much about this sort of thing. Could they each have their own account, like on a normal computer, but be able to all work at once? I may not be using the correct terminology here, so I apologize for that, but any help would be great.

 

[robbieduncan]

You mean a Dumb Terminal, not a Dummy Terminal and no, you cannot really do this with an XServe unless you are willing to restrict yourself to X11 apps. You can have an XServe serve out applications, home directories and so on to run locally on Macs on the network but this is not a true Dumb Terminal situation (where all the CPU power would be on the server).

 

[bdesign7]

Okay, that's good to know, and thanks for the term correction, might me look less foolish when the tech guy comes in and I talk to him. Is there a way to create dumb terminals with macs, or is this not really feasible?

 

[bdesign7]

Oops, I forgot to mention that it is a true dumb terminal solution I'm looking for, with a central CPU.

 

[robbieduncan]

Basically no. Not right now. The Quartz window server only works on the local machine. It cannot export it's display to another machine. If you are willing to drop to straight Unix X11 apps you can do it, but you cannot use normal OSX apps this way.

 

[bdesign7]

Well I guess that's that then, darn it. Thanks for your help, to bad we have to use os x apps.

 

[MacDarwood]

Would be a killer app

If the Xserve could work as a "Terminal Services" server using rdp or icp, even with a modest per-user/device licensing fee, that could be a killer app. Imagine being able to replace a dozen Windows PCs with a single Xserve and 12 $300 thin clients, and give users the entire Mac experience, with email and calendar, plus iLife, and OpenOffice or iWork. You could outfit an entire small office for under $10000.

Even limited to X11 apps, it's worth a thought.

 

[corbywan]

Are you looking for something like this?

http://www.aquaconnect.net/?page_id=26

Aqua Connect Terminal Server

 

[chwaege]

Aqua Connect

Hello!

Thank you corbywan for your link! I was also looking for this kind of solution for using xserve.

Do anyone has experience for using Aqua Connect?


SSSSSSSS

 

[ChrisA]

Basically no. Not right now. The Quartz window server only works on the local machine. It cannot export it's display to another machine. If you are willing to drop to straight Unix X11 apps you can do it, but you cannot use normal OSX apps this way.

Yes the windr server nly works on the main screen BUT,... He is talking about "dumb" terminals. These by definition can run graphic applications. He seems to want to be able to run from the terminal. So it will work fine if that is what he wants. I don't think you need the "Xserve" any Mac will do, even an old G4 Mini. These older computers have plenty of power for this.

But now you have the question of how hook up the terminals. Macs don't come with a dozen serial ports on the back. You almost certainly use a network connection. And today you'd likely not even be able to buy a dumb CRT terminal. So yuo'd likely have to move up to something more capable that can run a local x11 server and talk over the network. This is a nice setup because then any terminal can connect to any computer.

But then you look at the price of these terminals and you may as well buy a low-end computer.