Thin clients, also known as network computers, are one of the most confusing hardware developments because of the different forms they take. It runs the Windows Terminal Server operating system to give users access to Windows applications. A PC without a floppy drive or CD-ROM drive. It also has a locked-down chassis to prevent users from altering the machine. It can have local processing power.
Thin clients are PCs that rely on servers to harness their processing power, applications and data.
They resemble terminals but aren't necessarily pinned to mainframes. Technically, thin clients must have a Java Virtual Machine, which allows read access to non-Windows applications and operating systems. The Java Virtual Machine is software that recompiles code, allowing it to run on a variety of hardware platforms. A thin client must also have a browser but needs no fancy peripherals such as floppy disk drives or CD-ROM drives. Mass.-based International Data Corp. But the greatest benefit of thin clients might be that they are easier to administer and therefore require fewer calls to the help desk.