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Conclusion and Summary
Previous - The Web
Summary
In summary, if you absolutely need to get your data to or from everyone
in the world, then really the only way to go is through the web.
If your application is internal or available only to a select few outside
then you may want to look in to other technologies that can potentially
save you time and money implementing and deploying the application.
Citrix is considered the standard for publishing desktop applications
in large companies. Citrix has been around for quite a while and their
product is well established.
The newer versions of MS Terminal Server are functionally almost on
par with Citrix but it lacks the seamlessness of Citrix and therefore can
be somewhat more difficult for users to use.
X11 and VNC are not currently commonly used for publishing applications,
but these have the advantage of being Free technologies and there is great
potential for both.
Character Cell terminals or terminal emulators are generally looked
down upon as being "obsolete" but they still have perfectly legitimate
uses. Most hardware terminals have disappeared in favor of desktop PCs
with a terminal emulator except where PCs are not practical.
|
Citrix |
TS |
X11 |
VNC |
Char Terminal |
Client / Server |
Web |
Supports seamlessly drawn windows. |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Always renders UI precisely as intended. |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
Widgets and controls can have a native appearance. |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N/A |
Y |
Y |
Brings application audio to the local machine. |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
N (unless you count bleeps) |
Y |
N (needs plug-in) |
Brings remote print jobs to local machine. |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
N/A |
N/A |
Print job is always rendered precisely as intended. |
Y |
Y |
N/A |
N/A |
Y |
Y |
N |
Fonts only need to be loaded on the server. |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y (for printing) |
N |
N |
Can resume session |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
N (depends on server) |
N/A |
N (depends on server) |
Uses constant connection to application server |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N/A |
N |
application CPU processing done on server. |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
minimal acceptable bandwidth to application server |
28.8k |
28.8k |
10mb |
56k |
2400 baud |
N/A |
28.8k |
Client Access Licenses must be purchased |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Client application software cost |
included with CAL |
included with CAL |
Free or $$$ |
Free |
Free or $$$ |
N/A |
Free or $$$ |
Server software cost |
$$$ |
$$$ |
Free or $$$ |
Free |
Free or $$$ |
N/A |
Free or $$$ |
Can handle number of users per server (depends heavily on hardware
and application) |
hundreds |
hundreds |
hundreds |
hundreds |
thousands |
N/A |
thousands |
Cross platform client software |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Depends on app |
Y (Unless app is IE only, in which case NO) |
Cross platform server software |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y (Multi -user for Unix / Linux only) |
Y |
N/A |
Y |
Buzzword compliant |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
|