[comp.windows.x] An X terminal for the rest of us

rws@EXPO.LCS.MIT.EDU (Bob Scheifler) (04/07/90)

   After it has been set up by a system
   administrator (which can be done remotely via the
   ethernet), you can walk up to the terminal, turn it
   on, type your password, and start working.

This is exactly what the X Consortium's XDMCP standard is all about.
Several terminal vendors are close to shipping new load images that
support XDMCP, if they haven't already; ask the vendors you're interested
in what their schedule is.

brooks@maddog.llnl.gov (Eugene Brooks) (04/08/90)

In article <9004062107.AA13175@expire.lcs.mit.edu> rws@EXPO.LCS.MIT.EDU (Bob Scheifler) writes:
>
>   After it has been set up by a system
>   administrator (which can be done remotely via the
>   ethernet), you can walk up to the terminal, turn it
>   on, type your password, and start working.
>
>This is exactly what the X Consortium's XDMCP standard is all about.
>Several terminal vendors are close to shipping new load images that
>support XDMCP, if they haven't already; ask the vendors you're interested
>in what their schedule is.
The latest NCD X display server supports XDMCP and remote configuration
over the ethernet.  Once the user has the registered network address for
his display he boots from the host using a PROM monitor command on the
display.  This loads the X server, which you then use a setup menu to
type in a couple of network addresses into non-volatile RAM which tells the
display where to load the server and its configuration from (provided the
system administator has done his homework).

You then reset the display and it boots again.  This time it puts up the XDM
login widget without any interaction with the host's system administrator.
I am not sure whether the system administrator appreciates being cut out of
the loop.  The notion of being able to hook up an X display and get it
serviced by a host without evening giving the system administrator a call
is pretty mind boggling.  When is the last time you did that with a SUN?

The X Consortium deserves some kudos here....
brooks@maddog.llnl.gov, brooks@maddog.uucp