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TCS Forums » HP » What's the difference with OS?
I was looking at one of HPs thin client offerings and noticed that the operating system is Microsoft® Windows® CE 6.0 - I have never heard of this OS. Is it similar to any regular version of Windows as to the interface?
The abbreviation is actually a little weird-it stands for Windows Embedded Compact, post version 6.0. It is hugely different than a desktop version, not just a stripped down standard version. Its a tiny system, with tiny kernel and can run in a MB of memory. I think that XP requires at least 256MB.
If it can run on such limited resources, why doesn't Microsoft work on expanding that idea to more machines and more uses? The biggest complaint about Vista has been that it is such a huge resource hog.
Why would they? Then they couldn't force you to upgrade your hardware.
The cynic in me aside, the applications are very different. The thin client is not doing all of the work itself, so the OS does not need to be as powerful. It in no way would be able to run like a desktop OS does.
The processing is all done on the server-the thin client just relays the info back and forth.
That makes sense. I didn't realize that the thin clients would be running on different operating systems altogether. I thought the OS was just a Windows product that was perhaps new or that was more for businesses than the general user.
What you are used to would be a little more like what is on the server I would imagine-the server OS. That would be full function, and do all of the processing so would take a full share of hardware resources too.
Well, it was obvious that they needed to have a low end operating system, as not to hog the resources. As I asked on another thread, wouldn't have Linux been the better solution?
I think Windows CE was developed for small devices like PDAs. If your running those little versions of word or excel that need a Windows OS this would do it.
Microsoft would be unlikely to offer a Linux based operating system to their customers even through HP and if they did I doub't they would say so.
Windows CE 6.0 was developed to allow device makers more developing ability to make their devices more open, and to offer more usability. Its basically a small OS. XPe is similar offering a small OS which is compatible with standard drivers and applications, it runs in at 8mb with a bootable kernal.
Hmm, I didn't know that they made those OS's work so good with the low resources. I always thought that the custom Linux kernels were the top. Now I want to get my hands on one and test it, haha.
I wonder if Apple would make such a compact operating system out of their Mac OS. I'd love a thin client that could run Mac OS, as I fell in love with the way it works. Since I only use the computer for Internet browsing and chatting, it would be perfect for me.
Hmm, this makes sense. Can you buy Windows CE as a standalone software product? I might want to install it on my netbook, give it a spin. Has anyone else worked with it?
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TCS Forums » HP » What's the difference with OS?
