Thin Clients

["Steve Moland" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

While not necessarily limited to the functionality of thin clients, I get a 
regular "personal" and in my face reminder of using the wrong tool. Make no 
mistake, I love working with my PC and its application all day long but 
"there are those times".

When your job depends on the through-put of work that people who report to 
you can get through a system, it becomes clear to you that political 
correctness is your enemy.

My background in accounting and company paper flow gives me a more 
been-there-done-that way of looking at what counts, and I think to ask those 
who have to use these system if they see what I see.

I haven't had to worry about my pay being based on such an environment for a 
long long time and that is great.

One of the many things I do is to keep and maintain a software use 
authorization database for a software company. Some of their customers have 
hundreds of in-store Iseries boxes. For many of the cpu additions and 
changes my browser based software over our local intranet is about as fast 
as it could be in response time and the design paid good attention to 
through put.

However, every once in awhile I get a list of dozens of changes and it is 
when I'm trying to get out the door, or the requestee forgot to get a new 
batch of boxes authorized and they are stuck in finishing the many software 
loads they need to do now. I don't begrudged the requests because that's 
part of what the service is.

At that point I am reminded of the differences between browser based and a 
few other green screen things I work on. Every time I have to take my hands 
off the keyboard to use the mouse I want to throw it across the room. I'm a 
fast and accurate two-handed typist and I miss the buffered reliable "type 
type, ENTER, type, tab, etc." that makes for real through put production. 
When I have to work on one those lists in a hurry my hands are sweating 
before I finish.

And I have to tell you I've really tried to help the situation by buying and 
discarding a bunch of mice in order to find one that is responsive enough 
but not overly responsive.  I really miss the take no prisoner positive 
keyboard feedback of the old IBM 5250 90 Pound terminals.

The browser app has lots of "cute" features but "cute" suffers badly you got 
to get the job done NOW. It's wonderful for the less than trained user and 
suppose if I was responsible for having to employ some of the poor quality 
workers out there I would think differently.

regards
Steve Moland