Mainframes come full circle

[charlesr]

We started with mainframes with multiple users accessing via terminals/keyboard. Then we moved to PCs where everyone had their own. Now we are back to mainframes(ish) but distributed via internet/ethernet.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/04/pano_logic_zero_client/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/03/ibm_smart_business_desktop/

[abigsmurf]

I'm not a huge fan of the whole Cloud Computing thing (even though I've been working on something that essentially follows its principles).

These thin clients have largely been made possible because of the Atom and the powerful ARMs you can get now.

[charlesr]

Steve Austin had a powerful arm.

I think you missed the point there. Those new thin clients don't have any CPU at all. It's just a box with ethernet and sockets for vga/keyboard/mouse

[abigsmurf]

It'll have some sort of processor in it, you need to be able to process the inputs and outputs and to handle the packets sent to and from the network.

[FelixofMars]

I doubt we will see a sudden take up in these sort of computers.

[Brad]

It'll have some sort of processor in it, you need to be able to process the inputs and outputs and to handle the packets sent to and from the network.

You can process all that without a CPU.

[abigsmurf]

You can process all that without a CPU.

It needs to be processed centrally so all the revelent data gets sent to the appropriate piece of hardware. By definition the place that does that is the CPU.

[Brad]

Really? You'd best tell Pano that because they've built a thin client without using a CPU.

[MisterBubbles]

all this cloud business has one big flaw if you ask me, cloud computing does not allow users to physically possess the storage of their data , and if the venture goes bust your left with what , data files on a USB maybe but no server to play it on, dont fancy shelling out say couple 100 quid then your left with nothing , least if you download stuff onto your PSP go you'd still be able to play it.

[Brad]

This thin client computing thing isn't really designed for us though. It's for big corporations who don't want data on individual client machines. They want complete control.

[MisterBubbles]

i was more talking about OnLive and its counterparts, but could see how big business's like Amazon, Google, Microsoft would want complete control and kill publishers.

[abigsmurf]

Really? You'd best tell Pano that because they've built a thin client without using a CPU.

The Pano is built off of an FPGA (essentially homebrew processors) which this system likely is too.