Neverware

Continuing on my theme of the cloud helping developing countries gain more and better access to computer systems, I am interested to read of Neverware. This is a New York based start-up that has developed a way of taking an old PC and making it run as efficiently as a new PC as it accesses upgrades etc to its core systems via the cloud.

Specific details are sketchy, but it seems to be generating a lot of discussion amongst the tech community in the East Coast. Currently, the major application appears to be to permit schools to gain longer service from their PCs. However, it strikes me that there could also be an important developing country application for this.

Millions of PCs are thrown away every year. Some (but my guess is only a small minority) are sent to the developing world, but they are still old models with outdated solftware. If we could take the hardware and install the most recent software (via a Neverware connection to the Cloud), then we could really bring top level PC access to developing countries.

This may never happen through Neverware, but the principal is sound and I am sure has a future. More evidence of how developing countries are going to be offered a real chance to catch up!