linux终端服务项目（LTSP）提供了一个简单的通过linux服务器来实现的低成本图形或字符工作站的方式。
在传统的办公环境中，相对高性能的Intel架构的PC占据着每一个办公桌，这些PC都具有很大的硬盘空间。用户将自己的数据存储在本地硬盘上但很少备份。是否真的有必要在每个办公桌上都配置高性能的PC？我们认为是没有这个必要的。
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很幸运的是我们有其他的选择方式。通过利用linux终端服务项目（LTSP），你将利用起很低配置的PC，将硬盘、软驱和光驱都卸掉，装上一个支持网络启动的网卡。市场上的许多网卡都预留了启动存储器插槽，你只需将启动存储器插入即可。在启动过程中，无盘工作站将通过服务器确定自己的IP信息并下载内核，然后以NFS方式在服务器上挂载自己的根目录。
工作站可以通过通过配置实现如下三种工作模式：
1、图形化X
Window接口 通过使用X
Window，工作站可以访问服务器上的所有应用程序，并且可以通过网络访问其他的服务器。
2、字符型远程登录会话
工作站可以援引多个会话远程登录到服务器，每个远程登录会话都将被视为一个独立的虚拟界面。通过按下Alt-F1到Alt-F9对不同的远程登录会话进行切换。
3、命令行提示
工作站可以被配置成bash命令行模式，这种方式对于配置X
Window桌面和NFS是十分有用的。
LUPA开源社区Zr_7k'n%^+F3Z&e9K
真正美妙的是你可以通过一台linux服务器配置许多客户端工作站。究竟可以配置多少数目的工作站呢？这个要根据你服务器的配置和使用哪些应用程序来决定的。
对于一台双P4－2.4GCPU并带有4GB内存的安装有Mozilla软件和OpenOffice软件的服务器来说，拥有50台客户端不是什么了不起的事情，我们确信这个没问题的。事实上，它们的平均启动时间一般不会超过1分钟。
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原文如下：
Introduction
The
LTSP provides a simple way to utilize low cost workstations as either
graphical or character based
terminals on a GNU/Linux server.
In
a traditional office setting, there are relatively high powered Intel
based PC's spread around at every desk.
Each with several gigabytes
of hard disk space. Users store their own data on the local hard
drives and backups are rarely (if ever) performed.
Does it really
make sense to have a full computer at each desk?
We
say no.
Fortunately,
there is another way. Utilizing the LTSP, you can take very low−end
PCs, remove the hard drive,
floppy and CD−Rom, and add a bootable
network card. Many network cards have bootrom sockets, just
waiting
for a bootrom to be inserted.
During the boot phase, the diskless
workstation obtains its IP info and a kernel from the server, then
mounts the root filesystem from the server via NFS.
The
workstation can be configured in one of 3 modes:
• Graphical
X Window System interface
Using
X Windows, the workstation can be used to access any applications on
the server, or on other
servers within the network.
• Character
based Telnet sessions
The
workstation can invoke multiple telnet sessions to the server. Each
Telnet session will be on a
separate virtual screen. Pressing Alt−F1
through Alt−F9 will switch between the telnet sessions.
• Shell
prompt
The
workstation can be configured to drop you right into a bash shell at
the console. This is very
useful when debugging problems with X
Windows or NFS.
The
really neat thing is that you can have lots of workstations served by
a single GNU/Linux server. How
many workstations? Well, that depends
on the size of the server, and the applications that will be used.
It's
not unusual to have 50 workstations, all running Mozilla and
OpenOffice from a Dual P4−2.4 with 4GB of
ram. We know this works.
In fact, the load−average is rarely above 1.0!
取这个题目hezi并不想把整个文档都翻译成中文，只是找不到一个合适的标题，希望我本人有闲又有兴致的时候将LTSP好好研究一下，推广出一个成功的案例那就此生无憾了。
