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Xref: sserve comp.os.386bsd.apps:1077 comp.os.linux.misc:11399 Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.apps,comp.os.linux.misc Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!news.Hawaii.Edu!ames!hookup!news.sprintlink.net!wyvern!taylor.wyvern.com!mark From: mark@taylor.wyvern.com (Mark A. Davis) Subject: Re: DOOM for X Organization: Lake Taylor Hospital Computer Services Distribution: inet Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 14:46:50 GMT Message-ID: <1994Mar21.144650.11760@taylor.wyvern.com> References: <SJA.94Mar12174713@gamma.hut.fi> <2m0h7a$3ck@u.cc.utah.edu> <2m814r$bnp@news.mcs.kent.edu> <2mb2bb$8m@u.cc.utah.edu> <2mh1ta$m21@usenet.mcs.kent.edu> Lines: 41 borsburn@mcs.kent.edu (Bret Orsburn) writes: >>This is the argument Sun tried to use (an failed at). Sun is now selling >>workstations running X server software under the name "X terminal". Sun >>wasn't very successful selling that world view, and they had a marketing >>department being paid big $ trying to back their story up. 8-). >Actually, you've made my case for me. The price point for X terminals has >been kept so high (by creeping featurism) that workstations can compete >against them head-to-head. No, that is completely incorrect. The price of the actual hardware is NOTHING compared to maintenance and support costs.... this is why Xterminals exist, because suport costs are almost nil compared to workstations. >>[...] given what AT&T now charges for the >>beasts, they can afford to support a couple of programmers here and there. >>8-). >And you've made my point again. >If X terminals aren't cheaper than workstations, the motivation for using >them becomes *very* weak. They ARE cheaper than "workstations", first in the hardware cost, but as I just said above, companies typically will spend at least the cost of the hardware in maintenance and support services for workstations (or clones) each year. Xterminals have a huge advantage in this area. >I think X terminals are useful and important, so I think we (as customers) >should try *not* to apply pressure on the vendors to add features that drive >the costs up and ultimately undermine the market. Oh, I agree.... if you are needing lots of local clients, you should be looking at workstations and not Xterminals!!! :) -- /--------------------------------------------------------------------------\ | Mark A. Davis | Lake Taylor Hospital | Norfolk, VA (804)-461-5001x431 | | Sys.Administrator| Computer Services | mark@taylor.wyvern.com .uucp | \--------------------------------------------------------------------------/