Today Microsoft announced the Windows Thin PC (WinTPC) thin client operating system will be available on July 1. A release candidate has been available since March.
The company also announced that WinTPC will be supported by Microsoft’s Forefront Endpoint Protection.
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WinTPC is based on Windows 7 and replaces the Windows XP based Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs (WinFLP).
The idea is to give enterprises the ability to reuse old desktops and laptops as thin clients to access remote desktops or cloud-based services. WinTPC will run only certain applications such as security, management, terminal emulation, Remote Desktop, Citrix Receiver and Web browsers. Running the thin client OS will enable enterprises to upgrade from legacy operating systems without needing to upgrade or replace hardware.
WinTPC and WinFLP are available only to Microsoft Software Assurance (SA) customers. Earlier this year Brian Madden criticized both WinTPC and WinFLP for being locked down, and for offering little of value to SA customers.
Another option would be to run any of the various lightweight cloud-oriented operating systems now on the market.
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