Certified Healthcare Leader (CHL) Exam 2026 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

A device characterized by having a display monitor and keyboard, but lacking processing ability, is recognized as a dumb terminal. This type of terminal is essentially a user interface that relies on a more powerful central computer or server for processing tasks. It connects to a mainframe or server where all the necessary computations and data management occur, allowing the user to input commands and receive output while the terminal itself does not perform any independent processing.

Dumb terminals were commonly used before personal computers became widespread, especially in environments where multiple users needed to access a central system. Their simplicity and low cost made them an efficient choice for organizations that needed to connect to a centralized processing system without requiring additional processing power on the user's end. This setup ensures that data and processing are managed centrally, making it easier to maintain and secure information.

Understanding the functionality and limitations of a dumb terminal helps distinguish it from other types of terminals that may possess some level of processing capabilities, thus highlighting its unique role in computing environments.