Re: Itanium lap tops are needed now!

>Think: Citrix. Citrix is an "X-windows" paradigm for MS-Windows in that
>the program runs on a "server", but is displayed on a desktop.

Yes, I've dealt with a company that used to use Citrix for some HIPAA
application - now uses web-based applications. Web browsers are
getting more capable, what with some of the AJAX functionality becoming
more widespread.

>Windows is unstable enough without adding the complexity of Citrix on
>top of it, not to mention the bandwidth demands. Let a virus or a worm
>through the firewall and kiss your enterprise-wide app. (not to mention
>the desktop clients) good-bye (speaking from experience here).

Okay - Citrix "X-window"-like functionality is bad - so why is
X-windows better? Why is opening up port 6000 better than Citrix.
Remember that in X-windows, the client/server is reversed. The
"server" is really the desktop and the X-window application is the
client and has to connect to your desktop. At least with Citrix, it is
an explicit connection from the desktop to the Citrix server (which is
easier to deal with firewall issues).

>Now, take that same app., and develop it for an X-capable deployment,
>run it on a multi-user o.s. like VMS and VOILA! Secure, stable operating
>environments with VASTLY improved performance and reliability. The folks
>at HIPAA will "thank" you, to say the least.

Secure? How secure is it when it's possible for another application to
screen-scrape your whole X-window session, because you've have port
6000 open? X-window traffic isn't encrypted, either. Web based
application can be encrypted almost trivially by using https rather
than http.

.