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On Fri, 2003-07-18 at 08:29, Bryce C wrote:
> While a fast video card does help, it only helps when its GPU is used. A
> thin client isn't going to even be running the program. The problem here
> would just be the connection from server->client. Otherwise though, X is
> just displaying gfx that have already been rendered on the server. So
> don't waste more than $40 at most on a simple, PCI video card. Fry's has
> had some down to $20. Just make sure the card is supported by X.
That's not entirely true. This is because in the LTSP case the X
protocol is being used. And the X protocol specifies things like 'draw
square' which is then accelerated by the driver. If you think about the
case on a local machine:
application ---> X protocol ---> X server ---> driver ---> card
When you put it in the remote side you only add in a piece:
X protocol ---> network ---> X server
so everything else stays the same. If you had infinite bandwidth and
zero latency in your network, you should get the same performance as
being local[1]. So the GPU acceleration happens in the X server itself.
This is also the reasons for the X extensions like GLX, where basically
the X server is told "Build a square at possition x, y, z of size h, w,
d" and it just gets done. The rendering of that isn't done on the
application side of things.
Anyway, you the client still has to be able to decode the X protocol,
render it, and also handle all the network traffic. So the Pentium 75
might still be the limiting factor :)
Have fun,
Ted
[1] I have a friend who just got a new Powerbook. He claims that on a
100 BaseT network it is faster to run the application on his Linux
desktop and have it display on his Powerbook than it is to run the
application local on the desktop. I'm not sure I believe him, and I
haven't seen it myself, but he stands by the claim.
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