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This initiative will provide computer access to millions of children
throughout Brazil. It is a historical achievement being: the
world’s largest ever virtual desktop deployment; the world’s
largest ever desktop Linux deployment; and a new record low-cost for
PCs with the PC sharing hardware and software costing less than $50
per seat. The decision to deploy Userful’s low-cost and
environmentally friendly solution establishes the Brazilian Ministry
of Education as a global leader in educational computing and provides
other governments and institutions with a proven model for improving
student to computer ratios while rolling out large numbers of
desktops with minimal cost and environmental impact.

Userful is a simple, high performance approach to desktop
virtualization. It delivers full PC performance including full-screen
streaming video for less than $50 per seat and uses standard PC
hardware. Userful and ThinNetworks are providing the desktop
virtualizaiton and PC sharing software and hardware while Positivo is
providing the PCs and services. This is the third phase of a
nation-wide rollout of computers in schools. Userful and
Thin-networks have been selected for all three phases. The first
phase (19,000 desktops) has already been installed and they are
functioning well.

Userful’s ability to turn 1 computer into 10 independent workstations
will save the Brazilian government an estimated $47 million in
up-front costs, $9 million in annual power savings and additional
savings in ongoing administration and support costs. The computers
will use 90% less electricity as compared to a traditional
PC-per-workstation solution. “Userful is creating amazing results
around the world. We are very happy to have been selected by the
Brazilian Ministry of Education, to participate in this historic
opportunity to help millions of children get the computer education
they need in a sustainable way,” said Tim Griffin, President of
Userful. “For just $50 per additional seat, Userful Multiplier is
the best solution for schools, businesses, and governments wanting to
maximize their IT investment. This record setting deployment
solidifies Userful’s position as the world leader in high-performance
low-cost desktop virtualization.”

Modern desktop computers sit idle while we check our e-mail, surf the
web, or type a document. Userful’s PC sharing & virtualization
technology leverages this unused computing power to create an
environmentally efficient alternative to traditional desktop
computing. Up to 10 users can work on a single computer by simply
attaching extra monitors, mice and keyboards. "This deployment alone
saves more than 140,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, the same as
taking 24,000 cars off the road, or planting 35,000 acres of
trees”, said Sean Rousseau, Marketing Manager at Userful. Turning 1
computer into 10 reduces computer hardware waste by up to 80%, further
decreasing its environmental footprint.

Project steward ThinNetworks is the exclusive distributor of Userful
solutions in Brazil. Leveraging their knowledge of the unique
challenges faced by the Brazilian education system, ThinNetworks has
successfully installed Userful Multiplier-enabled computer
laboratories in both urban and rural schools. Rural schools are often
located in the most remote regions of the country, where there is
typically insufficient facilities for a traditional PC-per-user
computer lab.

The hardware developed and manufactured by ThinNetworks for the
project is designed to work reliably in harsh conditions with little
supporting infrastructure, and could even be deployed successfully in
the schools of indigenous villages, where infrastructure is minimal.
"This project will bring access to information technology to almost
every young student in Brazil. But this project will mean much more
than this: it marks the beginning of a cycle that brings Brazilian
children and adults together, socially and technologically
integrated," says Luiz Ferreira, President of ThinNetworks. With this
project, ThinNetworks becomes a marketleader in the distribution of
multi-solutions, with more than 800,000 terminals installed in the
country.

The workstations will be used to teach students the computer skills
they need to succeed in the modern workforce. "Our goal is to bring
information and communication technologies (ICTs) to 45,000 schools
by 2010, and they will serve about 60% of 2.7 million students" said
Ronaldo Mota from the Brazilian Ministry of Education. Linux
Educacional 2.0, a special software package put together by the
Brazilian Ministry of Education for schools, will be used to leverage
the power, flexibility, and cost savings of open source software.

About Userful

Userful is one of the industry leader in desktop virtualization and
multi-station Linux computing: the low-cost, high-performance
alternative to thin clients. Userful’s powerful software transforms
standard PCs to support up to 10 simultaneous monitors, keyboards and
users, and manages them all at once through a central website.
Privately held and founded in 1999, Userful was recently named
Alberta’s 10th fastest growing company under $20 million in revenue,
and has brought affordable green desktop computing to millions of
users worldwide.

About ThinNetworks

Founded in 1986, ThinNetworks arose from a need for high quality IT
consultancy. In 1999, ThinNetworks began specializing in solutions
for ultra-low cost computer environments. With more than 800,000
multi-terminal stations sold and 23 years of experience, ThinNetworks
is the absolute leader in multi-terminal solutions in Brazil.
Following the demand for IT cost reductions and green IT,
ThinNetworks develops, manufactures, and distributes: thin clients,
intelligent network devices, terminal servers and operating systems
for all types of markets.

About Positivo

Positivo Informática S.A. (Bovespa: POSI3), is the largest
manufacturer of computers in Brazil and the leader in the educational
technology segment.