Real Kato Blog: Computing: IBM's "Workspace" Recalls the Mainframe Era

IBM is introducing a server-based application technology called "Workspace". This technology would allow users to access applications installed on central servers, using platform-agnostic "thin" clients. This is a familiar idea; will it work this time?

We've seen this before. IBM's "Workspace" reminds me of mainframe-based computing, where terminals were used to access centralized computing resources. The idea was revived several times after the decline of the mainframes, in the form of Java-based thin-clients. Even Unix/Linux has elements of this idea (remote access via X11), as does Windows (Terminal Services client).

The advantages and disadvantages have always been the same. Centralized computing means easier administration for IT departments, but heavier performance and reliability demands on the network. There's also a perceived loss of control for users, who no longer "own" applications (or sometimes, even their data).

So will it work this time? Goodness knows, if anyone can make this work, IBM can. They have all that mainframe and server experience to draw from, and they have the enterprise clout and credibility to convince customers to try it.

I think the time has come for this. Administration of applications in user-controlled environments is expensive and error-prone (I know, I have to do it myself). Network bandwidth has evolved to the point where even home-based users could deal with remotely-hosted applications. Worries about software piracy, viruses, and malware are pushing the desire for more controlled environments.

The big problem here is that the technology wasn't invented by Microsoft. So inevitably, Microsoft will come out with some incompatible and proprietary version of this framework, and try to crush IBM in the process. Oh yeah: Microsoft will call this ".Net".

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