TC vs PC
Though there is visible interest in the technology today, what is surprising is that Indians, who are quick adopters of technology, didn't lap up thin clients or take the bait then. The answer perhaps is in the fact that people saw it as a wait and watch period, or as Balaji of HCL put it, “No one want to be a first time buyer.”

There was also way too much dependence on PCs. People were just getting comfortable using PCs when all of a sudden a newer technology was introduced, and users were unsure of using a PC without a hard disk or local storage. Explaining the phenomenon, Adhikari said, “India is still on a learning curve of PCs, and the curve is currently at 60-70 percent. Organizations in India are still to learn the benefits of PCs, so while they are adapting to this technology, another one has been introduced. Hence, with this new technology, they may take time to adopt it.”

Earlier, thin clients also came with low memory. While some of the first thin clients available came with 1GB RAM, today, thin clients are available with 1GB flash memory.

Another problem is breaking the mindsets of people who depend on PCs. There are many who do not know the benefits of deploying thin clients. For them, the PC is at best cheaper and offers more utilities.

Though a thin client may not offer all the features that a PC may, its advantages far out number its cons. “The PC prices are our competitors. This is because we have to break a mindset. PCs are available at Rs 20,000. Thin clients start at Rs 25,000, plus Rs 5,000 for a monitor,” shared Adhikari.

Agreeing with him, Peer added that it is also difficult for an end-user to come to terms with the fact that his machine is no longer personal, hence the mindset towards thin clients.

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