You can judge an eco-computer by its cover... but that comes into it as well!
Your reader's comments are a mixed bag of truths and misconceptions..
A woode laptop case and mouse as long as it made from certified, renewable forsts is definitely more ecological than plastic or metal alternatives... This can be measured in a number of ways, such as energy consumption in production, brominated flame retardants used in plastic, PVC's that are toxic, and so on.
However, no computer can claim to ecological unless the insides can be subject to the same or equivalent evaluation. The problem is that there are bery few ways of establishing overall econological performance. There are evaluation programmes (labels) that meadure energy preformace only (energy star) but leave out toxic substances, electromagnetic emmissions, noise, and life-extension (PC's thata re obsolete n three years can hardly be called ecological).
The only standard we have been able to identify which has overall coverage and independent (not industry-based) assessment if the European Eco-Label for PC's. This label which carried the authoritity of EC commissioned expersts has been treated with contempt by most commercial PC manufactures, who have ignored it.
MicroPro, an SME based in Dubin, committed to genuine ecological standards, has form some eays been involved in the development of a PC that meets thse standards. It is called the iameco (www.iameco.com) and is currently being tested for the comprehensive Eco-Label. When it secures it it will be the 1st computer to achieve this comprehensive standard, a true eco-computer.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
