is a technical question.
Where I contract (for now) - the IT? buyers et. al. have
decided to replace the user PC's (800+ all booting m$) with
a screen, mouse and keyboard only ie. terminal server
in its extreme!
(91.25% of the non-mainframe servers are *nix)
When I worked for a hardware vendor in the 80's
we had a saying "some things are for selling, not for installing"

The current workstations run a combination of spreadsheets,
modeling progs (mostly on *nix via X11 tunnels) etc.
(the booted os is un-men$ionable !) and lotsa local modeling tools
Some of the progs pull a 2.8 Ghz machine (2 GB memory) to its knees
for 50-300 minutes or more
Ditto for some of the disgrace (sic) spreadsheets.
Now! - I think this is a move to the wrong side of the track.
Soooo - I need some info
1) where you have used etc. this monster and any comments
2) what are the pros and cons of this
Been on the 'net - but info not exactly what I need
its mostly about how "good" terminal servers are, how it saves costs,
how it distributes Cpu power (40 quad processors) etc.
but very little about the actual conditions and headaches involved.
Am I for or against? - I dunno.
For now - I still appreciate having my own workstation
(be it as a developer) where I can do just about what I want.
The new Idea - I will have NO access to a USB point, cannot install or
modify the environment as I choose, cannot download and install
"tests" - unless it is done via an "installation" system on the server.
Everything is moving back to the 70s and 80s with central systems
and "dumb terminals" and I feel this is a step back, purely
'cause the decision makers are listening to the salesman that
are only there to make a buck!
(Oh yes - and all of this on a VERY fast 100Mb LaN!!!

the salesman says this is "more than enough")
Any comments are welcome.
If you want to kick this out -

to get some info?