The computer will update an internal buffer and send the terminal a command that will cause it to move the cursor to the left by one space. Until a few years ago terminals were connected directly to computers, but now it is common for them to be connected to a communications server, as shown in Figure 1. The server then uses the local network to connect the terminal to any machine on the network, giving users more flexibility. Figure 1 Local Area Network. The processor displays windows and handles mouse and keyboard input locally, relieving a compute server from doing these low-level tasks.
Workstations are single-user computer systems.
They range in complexity from simple personal computers to advanced processors with sophisticated graphics and vector processing capabilities. Most often the person using a workstation will sit at the console and use the main keyboard and mouse. Unix workstations allow several users to log in to the system. In a networked environment it is not uncommon for additional users to log in by sitting at a terminal and using the communication server to connect their terminal to the workstation. The second category of machines on a network are servers.