In fact, they have actually been around for quite some time. Connecting a single keyboard and monitor to the computer was a huge advance in the computer's user interface. After one terminal was connected, it was a simple matter to connect additional terminals. If someone else is running a processor intensive application, you will be locked out until they are finished. And the more terminals that are connected, the more frequently that will happen.
Portable terminals are inconvenient and slow.
The alternative is that Information Services Departments would have to support laptop PCs under any circumstances. For years, market research organizations like DataQuest have been predicting booms in the laptop market and in telecommuting. It seems to me that either of these two trends should quelch any possible resurgence in terminal usage, but the rumors persist despite all rational considerations. Return to the top of this page. A major problem with PC Cards is that they are expensive.