NeverWare: the Never Never Land for Computers

The beauty of technology is bound in its ability to open a million new doors with just one click of the mouse, but it’s a costly click. Everyone who has had a PC knows that its ownership and maintenance is a long-term investment and for this is one of many reasons why equal access to technology continues to be a problem in both First World and Third World countries.

The One Laptop Per Child movement may deliver brand new computers to a school, but what can they do for those students – in the long term – when they find their hardware is suddenly outdated? That’s where a New York tech company called NeverWare steps in. NeverWare has developed a server that lets even decade-old PCs upgrade to the latest Windows 7 operating system. They’ve literally created Peter’s Pan’s famous “Never Never Land” where your computer “never grows up” – at least in the operational sense. The server, JuiceBox a100 (a fitting name for a kid-friendly idea), is introduced to the existing computer network and it runs the latest operating systems for numerous aging computers on the same network. In order for the PC to function normally, not even a hard drive or local software is needed.

For the time being, Neverware’s founder, Jonathan Hefter is focusing on the U.S. education market where existing school networks are already in place, but he hopes to later expand his idea to developing countries. JuiceBox servers are currently being piloted in two New Jersey schools.

This advancement could come as a financial blow to big software giants who depend on the customers that regularly upgrade their systems, but it’s a relief to all those waiting to get a (high-speed, functioning) computer in their hands. Economic factors should never negate anyone from our most powerful tool of communication.