Microsoft to let multiple pupils work from single PC

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

NEWS

Microsoft is working on a new product, due out next year, that will let multiple students work independently and simultaneously off a single PC.

Although each student will have their own mouse, keyboard and screen — and be able to work on their own application — the computation will be done by a single PC running a new version of Microsoft's Windows Server operating system. The new product is being dubbed Windows MultiPoint Server 2010.

Windows MultiPoint Server
 
Windows MultiPoint Server allows multiple students to work off a single PC, each running their own applications with their own keyboard, mouse and display
 

"Over the past few years, we at Microsoft have been exploring the area of shared resource computing — a new computing category that allows a customer to tap into a computer's excess capability to let a single computer support multiple users simultaneously," MultiPoint Server general manager Ira Snyder said in a blog post. "In the world of education, shared resource computing has great potential to extend the reach and utilisation of affordable computing for students."

For more on this story, see Microsoft to schools: Share a PC on CNET News.

Talkback

I always wondered when this would happen. This would surely help in a lot of primary schools with limited desk space for multiple PC's. I look forward to seeing how this progresses, and the price!

tHeClAw 13 November, 2009 11:06
Reply

This is nothing new, schools in Africa have been using Linux to do the same thing for years.

Well done MS for again not innovating themselves.

yossarianuk 13 November, 2009 11:10
Reply

I saw a similar set-up demonstrated at the Linux World Expo 2006 in Olympia. I believe up to 10 users can work from a single computer.

http://linux.sys-con.com/node/275686

There is also the SLIM project at Sourceforge from a very quick Google search. Perhaps there are others.

Think of the savings schools, colleges and Universities, offices, call centres, local governments etc. could make (if not trapped in a vendor lock-in).

Moley 14 November, 2009 01:13
Reply

@yossarianuk, This is how MS has been "innovating" for years.

ator1940 14 November, 2009 03:04
Reply

"Microsoft hasn't said what it will charge for the product, but on the software side, Multipoint-based systems require a license for the server and then a client access license for each set-up that is connected to it." from cnet report.

This just kills it completely.

CA 14 November, 2009 15:46
Reply

How long before microsoft gets a patent on the idea then?

They managed to get one on a supremely obvious extenson to a GUI on top of sudo - similar stuff already done in KDE too.

Tezzer 15 November, 2009 17:32
Reply

As I read it, Microsoft have obtained the patent on Sudo itself but they have also added, or propose to add a GUI.

Either way, surely Sudo is protected by the GNU licence and prior art. Bolting on a GUI must, for sure, be an infringement of the licence. That is unless they continue to licence under the GNU.

Why do Microsoft want Sudo anyway, that's an interesting question.

Moley 15 November, 2009 23:55
Reply

I get quite annoyed when told by the young whizz kids of today that nothing of the 70's computer science is relevant today. I often get overlooked for jobs as my knowledge is out of date (supposedly), yet here we go again.
As part of our PC evaluation process, we stipulated that multiple users should be able to use one PC, doing applications such as spreadsheets and word processing. For that reason we ruled out the IBM/Microsoft offering and opted for a better operating system and better designed microcomputer. We rolled out one per desk before the One Per Desk had been invented! Along comes Charlie Chaplin in an IBM ad. His presence convinced the US business market that IBM and Microsoft was the way to go, the applications followed the new phenomenon and the world of computing was put back at least 20 years. The good thing about it was that our ROI was so good that it meant we had gained by the time we had to replace the old kit and roll out the IBMPC clones loaded with Microsoft offerings.

So here we are over 20 years later and Microsoft have come up with the new idea of multiple users sharing one PC, but in their case naturally it is a server. Now why didn't I think of that.

Yellowcave 17 November, 2009 21:00
Reply

I was a bit bemused reading this story: nine years ago I did an installation of something called "BeTwin" for a client. This software allows multiple users to concurrently use one PC by using multiple screens, keyboards and mice, and each user has their own unique session - sound familiar?

See http://www.thincomputinginc.com/product_pc_sharing_betwin.aspx

Allan Bean 17 November, 2009 22:29
Reply

no server OS required - you only need one workstation licence - 2000, XP, Vista or Windows 7...

Allan Bean 17 November, 2009 22:39
Reply

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

kevinmchapman

"the very significant number of users" and "many (most) of us" - you have no evidence for these statements. It is a fact that most users are saying...

4 hours ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Marg Menzies Harrison

Another grammar faux pas is the improper use of "you". When sitting down down in a restaurant, for example, I get cringe when the waitress...

6 hours ago by Marg Menzies Harrison via Facebook on 10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid
zdnetukuser

And NOW, folks, for Canonical's next trick... Kubuntu is late. Here's a pencil. Draw your own conclusions. cf.:...

6 hours ago by zdnetukuser on Linux Minterface
Moley

@kevinmchapman. The discussion here reflects the very significant number of users who really do like the traditional menu system and who wish to...

8 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

Er, no... It is an efficient means of finding the application/file/setting you need in one place. The icons are a simply a fallback for when you...

10 hours ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

Isn't the provision of a text based search an admission by the developers that the mass of icons approach does not work? I don't need to use a...

11 hours ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

"Unity and GNOME 3 both abandon the old text-based cascading menus in favour of a graphical icon-driven system." Point truly missed. Both use a...

12 hours ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

whs001 - Thank you, I'm glad you liked the article. I absolutely agree with you on your first point. I should perhaps have made it clearer that...

12 hours ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Dennis Nilsson

If we allow corporate interest to dictate the way our government circumvents due process against foreign entities then we should accept the same...

13 hours ago by Dennis Nilsson via Facebook on ACTA stumbles in Germany
GHar123

I totally dislike pirating of works, I fear that artists will be deterred from creating works if they think that they are going to get ripped off....

15 hours ago by GHar123 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
JCB33

How dare film makers, artists or anybody that invests in creativity stop us pirating their works for free. I want to be able to walk into my local...

20 hours ago by JCB33 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
Moley

@GrueMaster. I prefer horses for courses rather than one size fits all. I, and I suspect most other computer users, do not really wish to have...

22 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
greycynic

The product that scares me every time I have to use it is the Office 2007 version of Excel. The first bug that I found was applying the median...

22 hours ago by greycynic on Ten flawed products that derail productivity
GrueMaster

Nice review and very informative. One thing I'd like to add (in reply to whs001's 1st question), the main reason to have the same interface from...

24 hours ago by GrueMaster on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Frederick Wrigley

I'be been using Mint 12 since the RC came out, and I am far more happy with the Cinnamon, the Mate, and, yes (with extensions), theGnome 3...

1 day ago by Frederick Wrigley via Facebook on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
bdantas

Excellent article. One small correction, though--although a fresh installation of Linux Mint 12 will, indeed, provide the user with a version of...

1 day ago by bdantas on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

1 day ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

1 day ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Moley

For Gnome 2 die-hards, it is possible to add icons to the bottom panel (or top top panel, if you prefer) which provide the exact Gnome 2...

1 day ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
ramwellian

Your comments would seem pretty naive and immature. Your 'solution' appears to be, "gee, let's all just give in to the hackers and give them...

1 day ago by ramwellian on Cloud computing security: no more oxymoron?