We are considering deploying several Thin Clients such as the Wyse C10LE. We are in a Microsoft environment and as such not only is a license required on the Server end but one is also required for the Thin Client...and they are not inexpensive by any stretch of the imagination.

Ia anyone aware of any Thin Clients (perhaps a Linux-based O/S) that do not require a CAL?

Many thanks!

'CALs' have had several different names over the years - Server CALs, Windows CALS, RCALS, etc and I'm not sure which of these you are primarily concerned about.

This is all about the way that Microsoft licenses its software, and if you want the Microsoft software, you have to stick to whatever the Microsoft conditions are currently (although. knowing that, if Microsoft does get the chance to make more money by further disadvantaging the users in future, they will take that chance as soon as they think that they can get away with it....that's just the way that it is).

If you are prepared to work in a Linux environment (or BSD, for that matter), there are clearly options; you'll have to be a bit careful about exactly which thin client is suitable for this application (Wyse do make some suitable ones, but, offhand, I can't remember which series of models it is, but Wyse will be prepared to help you here, if you are serious about this path. Alternatively, I can probably find the information, eventually).

But, if you want to avoid the MS tax, you have to give up the MS software that attracts this tax. Are you prepared to do that?

On the server side, a Linux box can replace the MS server with no problem.

However, there are costs other than the purchase price; if your end users have to work in an unfamiliar environment with unfamiliar programs, that will not be ideal. If they are doing this with inadequate training and documentation, that will be worse. If this is an 'imposed from above' change, with no buy in, that will also make things worse, too. So, it is all to easy to make this kind of change in an unsatisfactory way.

But, if you want to avoid the MS tax, you have to give up using the MS software that attracts this tax. Are you prepared to do that?

PS: You have started this thread in the sub-forum 'Wireless networking'; is there some particular aspect to the question that concerns wireless (which hasn't, so far, become apparent), or is it a thread that really should have been somewhere else?

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Moved: This thread is more suitable in Linux-General and has been moved accordingly to help your question get the exposure it deserves.

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Thank you for the highly detailed input; it is very much appreciated. Sorry about starting this in the wrong Forum, yesterday was off the wall. It's been one of those weeks, thus far.

>On the server side, a Linux box can replace the MS server with no problem.

Giving MS the boot on the Server-side is no problem but the Windows clients will have to remain; no way around that. However and having said that about throwing MS Server out the window, it was my understanding that until Samba-4 is released the ability of a Linux server to emulate (as an example) a Windows Server 2008R2 DC with DDNS (Dynamic DNS), Group Policy, etc., is not possible. If I have misunderstood what I've read please let me know. I would be interested in your take on that.

With respect to the CALs I am referring to the licensing that MS requires for any device to connect to one of their Server O/S's. In this case, the Thin Clients such as the Wyse. It's not enough for MS to require a CAL at the server for the Thin Client to connect, but they also are greedy enough that the Thin Client must have one as well. So in effect two CALs for one device insofar as the Thin Clients go. Don't even get me going....it is absurd.

Again, outstanding and well thought out input on your part and thank you very much!

Might look at 2x.com for some ways to run these. As salasi notes this is more an issue with legal uses of software and each OS's implementation. As for server 2003 there are three ways to use cals but some can only be used at install time. I haven't taken any 2008 classes so I can't guess. Can't remember any of the W2K stuff either.

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