THIN vs. FAT
9.1.05

You have probably seen some marketing recently that talks about THIN being in, but what exactly does thin mean in regards to technology and more importantly, the tanning industry? The term thin client refers to the piece of equipment that is used to enter data. In this environment a salon would use a thin client terminal as opposed to a traditional computer which is referred to as a fat client. In general terms, thin refers to a purpose-built computer designed for a specific task as opposed to a Personal Computer which can be used to perform a wide array of functions.

As you can imagine, the biggest advantage of a thin client is that it only allows specific tasks to be performed. For salon owners this means the POS system can be used only for POS related activities, period. When is the last time you went the ticket counter at any airport and walked up on an employee doing their homework or surfing the net? NEVER and that is precisely the point. The thin client environment allows the user greater control over how their employees spend their time and the cost of the device is much less expensive.

So where is your data you ask? In this setting your data is stored off-site on a hardened, secure server. This means that performing data backups is no longer the user's concern. If a terminal is destroyed, the user can simply replace it and return to business as usual. Security is enhanced because the thin client contains only the software needed to perform its job and is historically a smaller target for hackers, spyware and viruses.

Possibly the most compelling advantage of a thin client is the improved user experience. Software updates are delivered via automatic updating. The system updates itself by pushing new features and bug fixes to users without any physical intervention. Additionally, because all client systems have the same configuration, technical support and troubleshooting time will be greatly reduced. The majority of issues that users experience in a fat client environment are aggravated by the wide range of computer configurations they can possess. By standardizing the client computer system the thin client can ensure that when problems DO arise, the time needed to resolve them is minimal.

Talk to your current software provider to find out what their plans are to implement a thin client environment and if they don’t have any plans, ask them WHY?

In the rapidly progressing world of technology, thin is definitely IN!