What is a thin client?

Question

Options

• Aa thin Ultrabook connected to the network
• Ba traditional PC with smaller and thinner physical form
• Ca device with minimal connectivity to connect to Internet
• Dan access appliance (to virtual client) with no moving parts and no local storage

• B
  2% (1)
• C
  95% (41)
• D
  2% (1)

Explanation

Note: The marked correct answer (C) appears to be incorrect. The actual correct answer is D.

Why D is correct: A thin client is a stripped-down access terminal - essentially a network-connected appliance with no local storage, no moving parts (no spinning hard drives, optical drives), and minimal local processing power. It offloads all computation to a remote server or virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). The "thin" refers to local resources, not physical size.

Why the other options are wrong:

• A (Ultrabook): An Ultrabook is a full-featured laptop that runs applications locally - the opposite of a thin client.
• B (smaller PC): Physical form factor is irrelevant. A thin client is defined by its computing architecture, not its dimensions.
• C (minimal connectivity): This is the trap. Thin clients actually require strong, reliable network connectivity - without it, they're completely useless, since everything runs on the server. What's minimal is their local resources, not their connectivity.

Memory tip: Think of a thin client as a "dumb terminal 2.0" - just a screen and keyboard that borrows all brainpower from a server. If it can think for itself (local storage, local apps), it's not thin.

If this is from a practice exam or course material, the answer key may contain an error. D is the industry-standard definition of a thin client.

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