Editing Workstation (section)

===Thin clients===
Workstations diversified to the lowest possible price point as opposed to performance, called the [[thin client]] or [[network computer]]. Dependent upon a network and server, this reduces the machine to having no hard drive, and only the CPU, keyboard, mouse, and screen.  Some [[diskless node]]s still run a traditional operating system and perform computations locally, with storage on a remote [[Server (computing)|server]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Conrad |first1=Eric |date=2012 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/b978-1-59749-961-3.00003-0 |title=CISSP Study Guide |pages=63–141 |publisher=Elsevier |access-date=2022-03-18 |last2=Misenar |first2=Seth |last3=Feldman |first3=Joshua|doi=10.1016/b978-1-59749-961-3.00003-0 |isbn=9781597499613 }}</ref> These are intended to reduce the initial system purchase cost, and the [[total cost of ownership]], by reducing the amount of administration required per user.<ref>{{cite web |title=Diskless Nodes HOW-TO document for Linux: What is this all about? |url=http://www.ossh.com/howto/Diskless-HOWTO-1.html |access-date=2022-03-18 |website=www.ossh.com}}</ref>

This approach was first attempted as a replacement for PCs in office productivity applications, with the [[3Station]] by [[3Com]]. In the 1990s, [[X terminal]]s filled a similar role for technical computing. Sun's [[thin client]]s include the [[Sun Ray]] product line.<ref>{{cite news |title=CNN - Here comes the Sun Ray - November 2, 1999 |url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9911/02/sun.ray.idg/ |access-date=2022-03-18 |website=www.CNN.com}}</ref> However, traditional workstations and PCs continued to drop in price and complexity as remote management tools for IT staff became available, undercutting this market.