One computer becomes ten

In what the it describes as ‘a great Earth Day story’, Userful Corporation is pushing its range of software which allows multiple users to use one computer simultaneously.

Essentially, the software facilitates multiple monitors and keyboards being run off the same PC.

Sounds simple enough – though less clear is the science behind the firm’s claims that use of the software has ‘saved’ over 29,000 tons of Co2 in the last year. Additional dubious equations lead to the further claim that this equates to taking more than 5,000 cars off the road.

"Computer hardware production and disposal is one of the fastest growing threats to our environment. Powering and cooling computers is an increasing contributor to global warming," says Timothy Griffin, president of Userful. "It feels good to help people around the world Go Green. In fact, last year our users more than doubled the previous year’s savings, meaning that in the last 2 years Userful technology has eliminated the equivalent CO2 of taking over 7300 cars off the
road!"

However the firm did not comment on how the excess heat – produced by thousands of infuriated workers exasperated as the PC ten other people are wrestling processing power from struggles to muster the energy to even open a web browser – would effect the problem of melting ice caps.