Linux Terminal Server Project 4.0 debuts

What may have been lost among the acquisition, lawsuit and product announcements at last week’s LinuxWorld Expo was the release of the latest iteration of the Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP) software.

The LTSP is an open source software for setting up a network of thin-client PCs based on a Linux terminal server and diskless workstations with only I/O peripherals, a modified NIC, a flash ROM card and memory. The latest version, LTSP 4.0, includes a number of management and configuration improvements.

One is an LTSP Build Environment, which makes it easier for users to deploy LTSP on a server and allows the customization of applications on the terminal server, as well as the creation of apps that are local to Linux-based terminals.

A LTSP “Screen Scripts” feature added to the software can also be used to control what applications Linux terminals are authorized to run. This can also allow different terminals to have a varying “look and feel,” as well as the ability to run different applications. LTSP coders say this gives the new LTSP more of a modern “thin-client” look, rather than a green-screen terminal feel.

LTSP can also now run on any Linux distribution that has as standard GNU Compiler Collection, which is a set of GNU utilities for Linux that provide front-end interfaces for various programming languages, such as C, C++, Fortran and Java. Linux users can now deploy LTSP on any of their favorite distros, whereas before LTSP was limited to running on Red Hat servers.