thin client

In computing, a simplified network computer or terminal. In a thin client network all the applications are executed on a central server computer, sometimes called a terminal server. All of the users' input, that is, mouse movements, clicks, and keyboard presses, are encoded using special protocols and sent to the terminal server, which then feeds them to the appropriate application. The output from the applications (for example, images and sounds) is then similarly encoded and sent back over the network to refresh the image on screen. Examples of this kind of technology are Microsoft's Windows Terminal Server, Citrix MetaFrame, and X Windows.