<P> A client is part of a client--server model, which is still used today . Clients and servers may be computer programs run on the same machine and connect via inter-process communication techniques . Combined with Internet sockets, programs may connect to a service operating on a possibly remote system through the Internet protocol suite . Servers wait for potential clients to initiate connections that they may accept . </P> <P> The term was first applied to devices that were not capable of running their own stand - alone programs, but could interact with remote computers via a network . These computer terminals were clients of the time - sharing mainframe computer . </P> <Table> Client types and their features <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> Relies on local storage </Th> <Th> Relies on local CPU </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Fat client </Th> <Td> Yes </Td> <Td> Yes </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Hybrid client </Th> <Td> No </Td> <Td> Yes </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Thin client </Th> <Td> No </Td> <Td> No </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> Relies on local storage </Th> <Th> Relies on local CPU </Th> </Tr>

Which is another name for a client operating system