Revitalize Your Old Tech with Shells.com: A Sustainable Approach to Computing!

Hey r/upcycling community!

I run a DaaS (Device as a Service) called Shells.com that aligns perfectly with the ethos of giving new life to old items. As many of us hold onto aging tech, not just out of necessity but also to reduce waste, finding ways to repurpose these items is always on our radar.

Shells.com offers virtual desktops that can transform your outdated computers into high-performance machines capable of running the latest software and operating systems. This service breathes new life into old hardware, allowing you to bypass the environmental and financial costs of buying new gadgets.

Benefits for Upcyclers:

Sustainability: Continue using your existing hardware for longer, significantly cutting down on e-waste.
Cost-Effective: Save money on hardware upgrades. Shells.com allows you to access high-powered computing environments without the need to invest in new electronics.
Enhanced Performance: Your old laptop or desktop’s limitations disappear as you tap into powerful cloud-based computing resources.

This is not just about making the most out of what we have; it's about reducing our carbon footprint and pushing against the throwaway culture and this is one of the reasons we built Shells. We're currently celebrating our 4th year birthday, so we've been around a while. As such, we've got a 35% off discount for anyone to try. At checkout, simply enter the code NAUTILUS2024 to the discount.

For anyone worried about the complexities of setting up, it’s all done through the cloud, so it’s user-friendly too!

Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences! If you've got any questions about my environmental background, I'll also be happy to answer those!

in upcyclingby ShellsCGF

44%

30d

Fun-Draft1612

30d

This is a stretch, sorry.

ShellsCGF

30d

I appreciate your feedback, but it's one of the reasons we built the platform. I'm trying to raise aware of the Shells brand and that means reaching out to people who may use the platform for personal reasons as much as operationally. This means reaching out to people like yourself.

We may be a small company, but we're passionate and driven about what we do.

Professionally, I've been involved in environmentalism for a long time, from my time in university (Environmental Officer) where I studied Architecture and I'm a certified environmental auditor (ISO 14001). In my spare time, I volunteer each month at my local repair cafe and attend the local 'Men In Sheds'.

As I said, if you have any questions about my environmental background, I'm happy to answer them.

Fun-Draft1612

30d

How is it environmentally better to run one old computer, + emulator and a new computer in a data center to do what? Run a browser rather than just putting Linux on that old one.

Isn’t a browser a code execution platform that transfers cpu cycles to a server side solution?

I can run a browser on a raspberry pi and do 99% of what everyone used their computer for. Games can be cloud delivered to a tv.

I’m not getting the need for it or how a data center full of idle cpus is more cost effective than just optimizing what you have or sourcing something faster from Facebook/crsigslist/ebay/thrift stores.

ShellsCGF

30d

It is better to one old computer rather then a datacentre, but that doesn't allow you to utilise more modern and powerful computers, you're still stuck on the same hardware. Same with a virtual computer... you're stuck at the limitations of your hardware.

As per your "How is it environmentally better to run one old computer, + emulator and a new computer in a data center to do what?". Using a data centre computer environmentally as the build and energy usage is significantly lower then the corresponding number of computers. For example, a Shell server may have around 40 active Shells on each machine. This is the equivelent of 40 x PCs, but with the material and energy consumption of 1 PC.

You're not running a browser, you're running a full computer, just connecting via browser (or RDC if you prefer). You can use any internet connected device to access your Shell. This can be your computer, phone, TV, or anything else as long as it has internet and at least a browser.

The Shells platform allows you to use the old hardware and utilise a browser (or remote desktop connection) to connect to a full computer based in the cloud. This allows you to utilise older hardware, either your old own computer or one sourced from Facebook/crsigslist/ebay/thrift stores as you stated, and access a faster and more powerful computer.

Additionally, it allows you to test different operating systems or servers without the need for either rebuilding your computer or virtual machine. This may be outside of the capability of some people or maybe they just need or want something that's easy and quick to setup!

Fun-Draft1612

30d

It is better to one old computer rather then a datacentre, but that doesn't allow you to utilise more modern and powerful computers, you're still stuck on the same hardware. Same with a virtual computer... you're stuck at the limitations of your hardware.

But, as I said, what do modern computers do nowadays beyond spawing a browser which, in itself, is an emulator that leverages the power of back end code to do stuff, rendering HTML isn't difficult for older computers..

As per your "How is it environmentally better to run one old computer, + emulator and a new computer in a data center to do what?". Using a data centre computer environmentally as the build and energy usage is significantly lower then the corresponding number of computers. For example, a Shell server may have around 40 active Shells on each machine. This is the equivelent of 40 x PCs, but with the material and energy consumption of 1 PC.

And it may not have 40 active shells, if it doesn't then you are wasting power. Also are you powering your datacenter on the banks of the Columbia River or in an Icelandic volcano? .. Why is your power less impactful than Microsoft? Is it difficult to spin up a machine in Azure/AWS/GCP and then connect to it with your older PC or Rasberry Pi or whatever.?

You're not running a browser, you're running a full computer, just connecting via browser (or RDC if you prefer). You can use any internet connected device to access your Shell. This can be your computer, phone, TV, or anything else as long as it has internet and at least a browser.

I understand what you are doing.. but my point was that a browser doesn't do much other than render code and most of the back end work is done by server side code.. I can run Xbox games in Chrome on very moderate hardware.

The Shells platform allows you to use the old hardware and utilise a browser (or remote desktop connection) to connect to a full computer based in the cloud. This allows you to utilise older hardware, either your old own computer or one sourced from Facebook/crsigslist/ebay/thrift stores as you stated, and access a faster and more powerful computer.

Anyone can do this with AWS,Azure, GCP..

Additionally, it allows you to test different operating systems or servers without the need for either rebuilding your computer or virtual machine. This may be outside of the capability of some people or maybe they just need or want something that's easy and quick to setup!

AWS/Azure/GCP

Stegomaniac

30d

No, not anyone can do this with AWS/Azure/GCP, simply because they are not willing.

Do not underestimate how tech-illiterate the common customer is. We're talking about the next person in line at walmart level of common.

ShellsCGF

26d

This is something that I've observed over the years, where you either have someone who is either unable, or sometimes unwilling (often due to time cxonstraints), to do something technical.

As such, we've always tried to make it 'Gran Proof'. Whilst this may sound like a joke, one of the things we actually do internally is have my (94 Year Old) Grandmother try it. Any feedback she gives actually changes the process or product to make it easier for everyone. I'm happy to say she can at least make a Windows based Shell!

awwaygirl

30d

In my experience, Remote Desktop on a decent machine can make it run like garbage. How does older tech not have performance issues with a Remote Desktop? There must be limits to applications or memory usage, right?

ShellsCGF

26d

So the older tech would utilise the same resources as a normal browser window.

The Shell applications, memory usage, CPU usage and such, is all handled by the Shell. You're using the older tech to connect to the Shell, which is a whole seperate computer, but is based in the cloud.

I hope this helps clear up the confusion.