reducing the pc carbon footprint

Background
I've been working with diskless computing for the past 2 years, where my company, PlasmaNet UK Ltd has put PC systems in for the likes of BP and Coca-Cola. Hundreds of player PCs showing real time data have been deployed. I initially looked at diskless technology for running windows XP, however the cost of purchasing the software to achieve diskless computing was more expensive than the hard disk in the first place. Since then, several initiatives have emerged, coining the phrases 'green', 'carbon neutral' and 'carbon footprint'. My feeling was that in order to make a so called 'green' initiative work, it would have to offer the following benefits.

1. be financially cheaper to deploy
2. reduce ongoing energy costs
3. be simpler to deploy
4. use less resources - the true cost to the earth

Enter PlasmaNetix and HopNetitx - a change to make a true difference to the carbon footprint

In 2004 a 'Live' CD was launched (KNOPPIX) which allowed a user to run their desktop without a hard disk. Everything was on a single CD-ROM and the PC became immune to viruses because nothing was changed or stored on the computer. Every time you booted the pc with the live CD, it was exactly the same. This meant that the user could not 'break' their PC. Like hundreds of thousands of KNOPPIX users I burned about 5 cd-roms (not very carbon friendly) and tried the system.

Cut to 2007 and the latest edition of Live CD offered a complete suite of desktop applications, email, web browser, office productivity, word processing, spreadsheet, presentation graphics and database. The problem was that it still ran of a CD. In addition, a large part of the community were trying to get it to boot over the network, 'Live netboot'

Enter PlasmaNetix
I used my experience in network booting XP to create PlasmaNetix which is an network environment where PCs can be started (booted) using a network, but without the need for a CD-ROM or Hard Disk. By Using PlasmaNetix, you can easily acheive the following carbon friendly benefits.

1. reduced cost of initial purchase of PC hardware and greatly reduced (near zero) cost of software and ongoing licences
2. reduced ongoing energy costs (not having to run hard disks an cd-roms in the client PC)
3. deploy new machines in minutes
4. reduce manufacturing requirement (no hard disks need to be created)

In addition, there is less heat generated by the PC which means smaller, slower, quieter fans and reduced air conditioning bills.