Dumb terminal is a screen and keyboard with no processing power that relies on a mainframe or other computer for its smarts. It's the tech equivalent of a ventriloquist's dummy - just a lifeless puppet until the ventriloquist gives it a voice.
I tried to impress my date by saying I work on cutting-edge AI, but she saw right through me when I admitted I just use a dumb terminal to connect to the mainframe at my insurance company job. Maybe I should have stuck with the "I'm a crypto millionaire" line.
My boss said we need to be more innovative, but it's hard to think outside the box when I'm staring at a dumb terminal all day. I guess I could try putting a "Think Different" sticker on it.
The Rise and Fall of the Dumb Terminal: This article traces the history of dumb terminals from their early days as the primary means of interacting with computers to their eventual obsolescence in the face of PCs and GUIs. https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-dumb-terminal
Dumb Terminals in the Age of the Cloud: With the rise of cloud computing, some argue that we've come full circle back to the dumb terminal model, with thin clients accessing powerful remote servers. This piece explores the parallels and differences. https://www.networkworld.com/article/3564105/dumb-terminals-in-the-age-of-the-cloud.html
Hacking Dumb Terminals for Fun and Profit: For those who want to get their hands dirty, this guide shows how to repurpose old dumb terminals for modern hacking projects. Just don't blame me if you accidentally launch a nuclear missile. https://hackaday.com/2019/12/03/hacking-dumb-terminals-for-fun-and-profit/
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