This is nothing to do with fat or thin people!

These terms used to describe stand-alone computers. Those with everything on-board – like the average home computer. As against a computer holding little more that the operating system, with data/files held at a remote location – a main frame.

The Department of Human Services, Disability Services, Victoria, has traditionally made its supported accommodation group homes almost stand-alone/self-sufficient through a large office and extensive equipment – with each house being almost a business in itself.

A large percentage of the reason for this is the department’s inability to make its reactive management, above house supervisor, responsible. House supervisors, therefore, being expected to be totally responsible for what is, in effect, a stand-alone business. House supervisors receive little or no support from those above them – hence the traditional large office and “fat client” computer in each house.

Recently, however, department management, above house supervisor, had a rush of blood to the head regarding privacy, and that house computers should become “thin-clients”, with restricted/designated access to the data/files now on a remote main frame.

It appears the trial with 100 houses has gone pear shaped, leaving staff unable to access vital information on their residents, and more