In theory it should be possible to set up a complete internet lab using this sort of idea, as long as you have a server that has sufficient power to run several copies of netscape on behalf of the clients :-)
In practice too, it works well, you just need lots of RAM on the server. We have about 45 at present, mostly based on 486/50 Compaqs with 12MB RAM and no drives of any sort, Boot ROM. Running Netscape & StarOffice. Server is Athlon 500 with 256M, when a class of 12 is running StarOffice swap goes up to 600MB [1GB allocated] and load average peaks at 50 (once 96): if all start or stop together we are dead, but while steadily spreadsheeting the load is 2 or 3. Machine will need 1GB of RAM to handle class of 20, but at that stage we shall spread the load to 2 or 3 servers, all using NIS & NFS to share filestore/passwords from another machine. Random [distributed] use for Netscape etc over 45 machines works fine: the problems occur if more than two or three machines are starting or stopping apps at the same time. We have sixty more machines in next year's provisional budget at 15K: price of 250 per machine is made up of 50 for base unit, mouse, KB, network card, ROM 50 for network infrastructure 150 for screen though I think I'll be adjusting it to 50/75/125. Setup needs a top-level Unix guru (not me - it's who I know that counts). Machines need a minimum of 8MB RAM. 12 is comfortable, 16 means there's almost no swapping to the remote server-mounted swap file. But your guru needs to build an economic kernel, of course. Maintenance needs someone who knows which lead plugs into which socket at the back as 90% of problems are cables falling out & being pushed back into the wrong socket, and yes, I have been called out to fix one that needed the on/off switch moved to "on". Our oldest discless X terminal was installed in October 97 and is still going strong. -- Christopher Dawkins, Felsted School, Dunmow, Essex CM6 3JG 01371-820527 or 07798 636725 cchd@felsted.essex.sch.uk