intelligent terminal
C1technical, historical computing
Definition
Meaning
A computer terminal with its own processing capability, allowing it to perform tasks independently of the main computer to which it is connected.
A terminal that contains its own microprocessor and memory, enabling it to execute programs, format data, and handle some user interactions locally before or after communicating with a central host computer.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is now largely historical, having been prominent from the 1970s to 1990s. It has been largely superseded by 'workstation', 'PC', 'thin client', or simply 'computer' in modern contexts. It implies a mid-point between a 'dumb terminal' (fully reliant on a host) and a standalone computer.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in technical meaning. 'Intelligent terminal' is more common in American technical documentation of the era. UK sources occasionally used 'smart terminal' synonymously.
Connotations
The term evokes a specific era of mainframe and minicomputer architecture.
Frequency
Rare in contemporary use in both dialects, encountered primarily in historical texts, legacy system documentation, or by professionals describing old systems.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [noun: terminal] functioned as an intelligent terminal for the [noun: mainframe].Users accessed the database from [adjective: networked] intelligent terminals.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “smarter than the average terminal”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Historical: 'The sales department was equipped with intelligent terminals to run local inventory software before syncing with head office.'
Academic
In computer history: 'The shift from batch processing to interactive computing was enabled by the proliferation of intelligent terminals.'
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday modern conversation.
Technical
When discussing legacy systems: 'Migrate the data from the old AS/400; the intelligent terminals can be replaced with web interfaces.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The engineers debated whether to install dumb terminals or more costly intelligent terminals.
- Each intelligent terminal on the network required its own maintenance schedule.
American English
- We networked several IBM 3179 intelligent terminals to the mainframe.
- The procurement budget covered fifty new intelligent terminals.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- An intelligent terminal can do some work by itself.
- It is more expensive than a simple terminal.
- Unlike a dumb terminal, an intelligent terminal has its own processor and can run basic programs locally.
- The bank upgraded its system from teletype printers to intelligent terminals with green screens.
- The architecture relied on a central database server with distributed logic handled by intelligent terminals at each branch office.
- Contemporary reviews praised the intelligent terminal for its ability to offload editing tasks from the overloaded mainframe.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a terminal that goes to university. It's not just a 'dumb' screen repeating what the mainframe says; it's an 'intelligent' graduate that can think for itself.
Conceptual Metaphor
A capable assistant vs. a simple messenger. The intelligent terminal is an assistant who can prepare reports, while a dumb terminal is just a messenger delivering raw notes.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'terminal' as 'терминал' in the transport sense. The computing term is 'терминал' or 'оконечное устройство'. 'Intelligent' here means 'умный' or 'интеллектуальный' in a technical sense, not 'разумный'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to describe any modern computer screen.
- Confusing it with 'graphical terminal'. Not all graphical terminals were intelligent.
- Capitalising it as a proper noun.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary functional distinction of an intelligent terminal?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Conceptually, yes, as it has independent processing power. However, the term is historically specific and not used for modern PCs. A PC is a general-purpose computer, whereas an 'intelligent terminal' implied a device primarily for accessing a host system, albeit with added local smarts.
The rise of the personal computer (PC) and client-server architecture made the distinction less relevant. The role was absorbed by networked workstations and PCs, and later by thin clients (which are closer to modern dumb terminals) and web browsers.
They are generally synonymous. 'Intelligent terminal' was the more formal technical term, while 'smart terminal' was a common marketing and informal variant.
A modern analogy is a 'smart TV' versus a 'dumb TV' with a streaming stick. The smart TV has apps built-in (local processing), while the dumb TV relies entirely on the external stick (the host). The intelligent terminal was like the smart TV in a network where the mainframe was the primary content source.