And because the green machine does not need an internal cooling fan, as conventional PC's do, it is also quieter.

This is easy using a webcam on a conventional PC or in the case of a tablet PC even directly by the latter is used as a kind of window into the world.

Alternatively an optional expansion box containing either 20 MB or 40 MB hard disk could be purchased which allowed it to operate as a more conventional stand-alone PC.

Simply disabling the diskette drive on a conventional PC is not a practical solution, because a worker might circumvent the system by connecting a laptop computer to the work station's ports.

It's not make-or-break-the company's server, office, and even desktop businesses will remain healthy and viable regardless of Windows 8's reception-but it's nonetheless essential to Microsoft's desire to move beyond the conventional PC.

The Sun Ray 1 does not store applications like word processing and spreadsheet programs on the desktop, as conventional PC's do.

They can get e-mail messages, surf the Web, manage contact lists and calendars, and even create Word and Excel documents that can run on a conventional PC.

The machines would cost only slightly less than conventional PC's, the companies said, but would reduce the administrative costs for corporate networks.

With conventional PC's, an executive who wants a more powerful microprocessor has to change machines.

They won't be able to do everything, and the conventional PC won't disappear.