designing from scratch
Yudu was designed so that pages would have the minimum electronic footprint consistent
with quality viewing. There is correlation between that footprint and the energy in processing.
“It is a question of designing the software to make the least
He maintains that the application was written
possible demand on the processors and thereby cause them
from first principles rather than adapted from
existing publishing products, and that carbon-
to use less energy. There is little evidence that the software
saving measures were incorporated into the
industry as a whole has considered this as a serious question.
design.
Where does an opportunity to minimise the
It is better to re-write applications rather than throw large
carbon footprint of software arise, as program
amount of processing power at them.”
code is wholly abstract and is realised only in
the processor of a computer?
That is exactly where Mr Stephenson sees
What insight can he bring to help businesses the benefit being achieved. “All applications
which are finding it increasingly difficult to delivered over the Internet use server power.
operate despite the introduction of schemes Some of the remarkably life-like images which
which critics are keen to demonstrate are not we see on the Internet – such as the Avatars
working? which populate Second Life - are hugely proc-
Can Mr Stephenson’s experience as a non-ex- essor-intensive.
ecutive director of a portfolio of much larger “It is a question of designing the software to
companies alongside his involvement with Yudu make the least possible demand on the proc-
identify the unique characteristics of an SME essors and thereby cause them to use less
which make it vulnerable in a financial crisis? energy. There is little evidence that the soft-
ware industry as a whole has considered this
Low carbon design for Yudu
as a serious question.”
Mr Stephenson had a solution: “It is better to
New homes which are designed to be energy- re-write applications rather than throw large
efficient right from the drawing board operate amount of processing power at them. From
with much smaller carbon footprints than the outset, Yudu was designed so that pages
otherwise comparable properties where carbon would have the minimum electronic footprint
reduction measures have been retro-fitted. consistent with quality viewing. There is a di-
Richard Stephenson’s low carbon case for rect correlation between that footprint and the
Yudu is argued along similar lines. energy taken up in processing.”
82
The Informed Executive
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98