Alright!!! Something tangible by a major player (HP).
Thanks, Kent.
The HP Thin Clients/Servers Use NTrigue, which is a Winframe-based solution. From
C/Net:
HP netstations span Net, legacy
systems
By Brooke Crothers
March 31, 1997, 12:30 p.m. PT
Hewlett-Packard (HWP) has begun shipping
Java-capable network computers, drawing on its
experience in building terminals for Unix computers.
The Hewlett-Packard (HP) netstations can replace older
"dumb terminal" devices, offering better performance
and better graphics capability. The expected "street"
price of the Entria II and Envinex II netstations start as
low as $700 (without display), according to HP. Dumb
terminals are stripped-down computers often used by
workers who perform repetitive tasks such as
order-entry.
The netstations can run Unix, Windows NT, and older
mainframe-based "legacy" software, the company said.
HP Netstations also will support Internet-intranet-based
collaboration and communication through "Navio
Navigator for netstations," based on Netscape Navigator
3.0, providing Web access with full Java support.
Currently, HP netstations support server-based Internet
browsers and Java Virtual Machine (VM). By fall 1997,
the next release of HP netstation software is slated to
support Navio Navigator for netstations and local Java
VM. The local Java VM technology will allow users to
download and execute Java-based applications and
applets.
HP says its network computers will cost less to
maintain since they are designed to access
server-computer-based applications and allow for
"thinner" clients and centralized administration.
"Alternatively, Sun Microsystems JavaStation relies
exclusively on local Java processing, which requires
greater local resources and thereby undermines the
benefits of thin clients," according to HP.
NCs, such as Sun's JavaStation, are loosely defined as
computers that are connected to and rely on a server
computer to store and distribute software applications.
NCs may also rely on the server to run applications.
"Organizations are looking to upgrade their existing text
terminals to graphics desktops that will provide [better ]
performance while maintaining the same control and
simplified administration they enjoyed with text
terminals," HP said.
Users of HP's "X terminal" systems are also demanding
greater Internet and Java capability to leverage
Internet-intranet resources, the company said. X
terminals are similar to NCs in many respects and are
considered one of the forerunners to network
computers.
NT support is provided via Insignia's Ntrigue software.
Ntrigue is a Windows NT application server solution.
The HP Entria II runs at 120 MHz, while the HP Envizex
II runs at 133 MHz. HP netstation software includes a
suite of local clients, such as window managers,
terminal emulators, and utility applications. Other
features include HP netstation software CDE 2.0, which
provides local access to the Common Desktop
Environment standard window manager. All the
host-based functionality of CDE is preserved, while host
memory and host computing power is offloaded. |
