Some call it NC which stands for Network Computer. Another common name is thin client. Some call it set-top box or black box computer. Whatever its name, there is always much controversy that accompanies the subject.
Advocates believe it heralds the beginning of a new revolution in computer technology.
Others say it is just a lot of hype. The NC is one of those things that is easy to describe in generalities but more difficult in specific terms. The arguments over specific workstations have to do with how limited the resources are and how the workstation works with its host computer. Our old mainframe and mini systems were just like that. They had a central computer with workstations that were so limited they were sometimes called dumb terminals.