Computer Hardware Terms, Glossary and Dictionary

Smart terminal has some processing capabilities with built-in logic for performing simple display operations, such as blinking and boldface. In contrast, a dumb terminal has no processing capabilities at all. The development of workstations and personal computers has made this term and the type of product semi-obsolescent, but one may still hear variants of the phrase act like a smart terminal used to describe the behavior of workstations or PCs with respect to programs that execute almost entirely out of a remote server's storage, using local devices as displays.

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smart terminal