LTC - A Comparison of Personal Computers and "Dumb" Terminals
A Comparison of Personal Computers
and "Dumb" Terminals
Personal Computers
Strengths
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Multi-tasking - allows employees to be more productive
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Graphical - more pleasant to work with, on-line help available
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Allows browsing of intranet & internet sites
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Fast network connection speeds host access
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Easy implementation of corporate E-mail
Weaknesses
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High initial costs (purchase, configuration, installation)
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High ongoing maintenance costs
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Employees require more training to use effectively
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Requires frequent upgrades (both hardware & software)
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Susceptible to viruses
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Employees are able to install un-authorized (and possibly illegal) software
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Requires a backup/recovery strategy for each desktop
Terminals
Strengths
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Low initial costs
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Easy setup and maintenance
Weaknesses
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Low functionality
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Requires specialized knowledge to fix problems when they do occur