“dumb” little computers

“DUMB” LITTLE

COMPUTERS

And How They Can Help Your Library

Andy Giesler

30 Second History of Computers

1940-1980: Dumb Terminals

Mainframe Computers

Dumb Terminals(aka “Glass Teletypes”)

1980-2000: Personal Computers

2000-Present: Dumb Terminals v. 2.0

Dumb Terminals v2.0

“Thin Client” “Windows Terminal”

Thin Client Benefits

Somewhat lower costs overall Resource-efficient Energy-efficient Small size Shush!

Thin Client Downsides

Limited expandability/reusability Specialized knowledge required Additional software may be required Gaming in libraries? Network-reliant

So… should libraries use them?

Desktop PC Thin Client

Costs Higher Lower-ishManagement Decentralized Centralized

Power High LowFootprint Bigger Smaller

Knowledge Needed Less More

Multimedia Support High Low

Expandability High Low

“DUMB” LITTLE

COMPUTERS

And How They Can Help Your Library

Creative Commons Attributions

flickrich, "Retro Apple Logo fruit salad" http://www.flickr.com/photos/54387193@N00/120944972 G. Rivas Valderrama, "Tiempo, tiempo, tiempo"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24890185@N05/2520227982 HckySo, "11th Grade - First Day of School" http://www.flickr.com/photos/54191388@N00/2828981813 Jemimus, "IMG_2046”, http://www.flickr.com/photos/12967790@N00/270554597 Jspaw, “Old Computers Can Be Good Looking”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35034347468@N01/371919441 Malabooboo, "img_8847" http://www.flickr.com/photos/12313873@N00/2196281246 Marcin Wichary, "Untitled" http://www.flickr.com/photos/8399025@N07/2319082085 nateOne, "Superwasher" http://www.flickr.com/photos/49998984@N00/2873369243 Netmonger, "Sun Ray Thin Client" http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c6/Sun_Ray_Thin_Client.jpg Pargon, "Mainframe Computer" http://www.flickr.com/photos/24539921@N08/2444943158 Patrick J. Lynch, "Brain stem normal human.svg"

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Brain_stem_normal_human.svg Raysonho, "PCExpanion" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:PCExpanion.jpg scriptingnews, "mainframe computer" http://www.flickr.com/photos/22221172@N00/2627291590 sparktography, "The borg is coming" http://www.flickr.com/photos/49503155065@N01/137317558 surekat, "abacus" http://www.flickr.com/photos/95542192@N00/2643626270 teclasorg, "ADM 3A" http://www.flickr.com/photos/17884028@N00/82481457 Vidarlo, "Hpt5700" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Hpt5700.jpg