Wyse Technology Inc, which is now totally focussed on its original core display terminal business, has unveiled its Winterm terminals at Comdex Fall. The San Jose, California company claims that Winterm is the cheapest method for bringing Windows applications to the desktop, with each terminal costing from $500. Winterm terminals are clients of a Windows NT-based server, which runs WinFrame for Networks, the multi-user version of NT from Coral Springs, Florida-based Citrix Systems Inc. WinFrame incorporates version 3.0 of Citrix’s Intelligent Console Architecture, similar, but considerably faster than the X Window protocol, according to Wyse. Windows applications run on the WinFrame server, and the display output is sent over serial cables to the terminals. Not only does this mean a cheaper alternative to the persnal computer, but also offers a mean time between failure rate of up to four times that of a personal computer, Wyse claims. With no data stored locally, and multi-level password protection, the company claims that security is much tighter than on networked personal computers. If a power failure occurs, the application is saved on the server in an active state and password-protected for the user to pick up where he or she left off. The clients are also independent, in that users can log on at any terminal and be presented with their own interface, regardless of where they are on the network. Wyse killed off its systems business late last year (CI No 2,517), and recently acquired the much-travelled Alfaskop terminal business from ICL Plc, and is shifting manufacturing from the UK to its plant in Taiwan (CI No 2,790). Winterm will ship in the US and Canada from December, costing around $500 for each 14 grey-scale VGA display, or $1,000 for a 14 colour Super VGA display. Winterm will be launched in Europe at CeBIT next March, according to John Cummins, European director of marketing at Wyse. Citrix’s WinFrame costs $6,000 for a 15-user licence.
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