dumb terminal
Screen without brains
A dumb terminal is a computer display and keyboard that has no processing power of its own—it simply sends keystrokes to a central computer and displays what comes back.
The term distinguishes these devices from "smart" or "intelligent" terminals that can process data locally.
Dumb terminals were common before personal computers became widespread: The office had rows of dumb terminals connected to the mainframe.
Display or supervisor
- keyboardArray of input keys
- screenDisplay or barrier
- displayPresentation for viewing
- CRTVacuum tube display
workstation · peripheral · device · serial port · console · green screen · cathode ray · coaxial cable
Text-based computer interface
- promptIncite to action
- cursorOn-screen position indicator
- shellHard outer covering
- consoleComfort in distress
telnet · SSH · login · session · ASCII · monochrome · ANSI · scrollback
No longer in use
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- outdatedNo longer in use
- deprecatedFormally advised against using
- supersededReplaced by something newer
vintage · retro · legacy system · computer lab · data center · batch processing · historical
Large centralized computer system
- hostOne receiving guests
- clientOne who hires professionals
- serverOne who attends tables
- centralizedConcentrated in one location
time-sharing · multi-user · remote access · session · connection · network · minicomputer · polling
monitor
Display or supervisor
CRT · workstation · peripheral · device · serial port · console · green screen · cathode ray · coaxial cable · controller
command line
Text-based computer interface
console · telnet · SSH · login · session · ASCII · monochrome · ANSI · scrollback
obsolete
No longer in use
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- outdatedNo longer in use
- deprecatedFormally advised against using
superseded · vintage · retro · legacy system · computer lab · data center · batch processing · historical
mainframe
Large centralized computer system
centralized · time-sharing · multi-user · remote access · session · connection · network · minicomputer · polling
dumb terminalpersonal computer
Individual-use computing machine
workstation · PC · desktop computer · microcomputer · laptop
dumb, terminal, dumber, dumbest, dumbly, dumbness, dumbbell, dumbfound, dumbfounded