what is a thin client?

"to put it simply: thin client is were it is just used as a web browser thick client is installing a specific thing thin client goes and gets what it needs when it needs it. e.g. when you do webmail on hotmail or somehting else you are using a thin client if you install outlook or lotus notes to get your mail you are using a thick client more detailed: A thick or fat client does as much processing as possible and passes only data required for communications and archival storage to the server. thin client may be a program or a device for the execution of thin-client application programs. Unfortunately, however, there is no precise definition (in quantifiable terms) for when the client program or device may be called a thin client or not. A thin client as an application program communicates with an application server and relies for most significant elements of its business logic on a separate piece of software, an application server, typically running on a host computer located nearby in a LAN or at a distance on a WAN or MAN: A thin client does most of its processing on a central server with as little hardware and software as possible at the user's location, and as much as possible at some centralized managed site. Hope this helps"