Userful

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Userful Corporation is a Canadian software company that specializes in video walls, digital signage, interactive displays and desktop virtualization. Founded in 2003, Userful develops software that turns a standard PC into a high end video wall controller or video wall processor. Userful's head office is located in Calgary, Alberta and is a privately held for-profit company with resellers around the world.

History[]

Founder & Chief Technology Officer Timothy Griffin founded Userful Corporation in 2003.^{[citation needed]} The company commenced work on a multi-screen desktop computing platform that is at the core of Userful software.^{[1][dead link]}

After the first Userful software release in 2002, quickest market uptake on this low cost approach to desktop virtualization was with schools, public libraries and other locations that needed locked down, virtual desktops such as military, and oilfields for deployment.^[2] In 2014, Userful launched its video wall and digital signage software built on the same PC, network and zero client infrastructure as its desktop virtualization product.

In October, 2018, Userful named John Marshall as its new Chief Executive Officer.^{[citation needed]}

Timeline[]

In February 2009, Userful announced what is claimed to be the world's largest desktop virtualization deployment with 356,800 virtual desktops in Brazil.^[3]

In May 2012, Userful launched version 5 of its MultiSeat software, which added Ethernet zero client support.^[4]

In April 2012, Userful announced a partnership with ViewSonic to produce a Linux-based zero-client product.^[5]

In February 2013, Userful launched Userful Multiplatform 6 which enables running Windows, Linux, and browser desktops in a multiseat environment.^[6]

In February 2014, Userful launched Userful Multiplatform 7.0, which provides desktop virtualization and central management to desktops, touch screens and kiosks.^[7]

In October 2014, Userful partnered with ViewSonic to create the SC-U25 Value VDI Client with Userful Multiplatform software.^[8]

In December 2014, Userful launched Userful Network Video Wall software that turns a standard PC into a video wall controller or video wall processor that supports ultra-high definition content from one Core i7 PC to multiple video walls with up to 25 standard displays.^[9]

In August 2015, version 8.0 of Userful Network Video Wall was released, updating the core platform of Userful products and improving performance and reliability.^[10]

In January 2016, version 8.5 of Userful was released, updating the core platform to include core enhancements and enhanced support and features for both VDI and video walls.^[11]

In May 2016, version 8.6 of Userful was released, with an update that supports up to 8k video walls, including enhanced features and support for VDI and video walls.^[12]

In September 2016, Userful released version 8.7 ^[13] featuring enhancements and minor updates.

In December 2016, Userful released version 9.0^[14] which added many interactive features and enhancements for video walls and digital signage.

Products: Software for Video Walls and Desktop Virtualization[]

See list:

Current Products[]

Core Platform[]

All Userful software products are built on a combination of CentOS Linux and Userful’s software which provisions and manages zero clients.^{[citation needed]}

Userful Video Walls[]

Userful software turns a standard PC into a video wall controller or video wall processor that delivers content over a gigabit ethernet network. Userful software utilizes the CPU and GPU in an Intel platform to process and render high resolution, real time content. The release of Userful network video wall in December 2014 was the world's first commercially available video wall solution^[buzzword] to deliver real-time, 4k content over a standard Ethernet network from one PC.^[15]

In January 2016, Userful updated their video wall solution^[buzzword] to be the world's first network video wall capable of 6k source content in real time, with the ability to support up to 40 screens from one standard PC and up to 60 screens from a high-end PC. Userful merged their virtual desktop platform into their 8.5 release, enabling delivery of virtual desktops on to a video wall.^[16]

Userful also announced support for multi-zone configurations allowing a video wall to be broken out into sections with different real time content played on different zones within a video wall. In May 2016, Userful released version 8.6, improving display quality with the use of discrete compatible GPUs and announced support for 8K video content playback. ^[17]

In December 2016, Userful launched version 9.0 which increased the number of screens supported by 1 PC to 100. This release also included interactivity tools and the ability to store and invoke presets that change content, zone configurations and more on the fly. ^[18]

Userful Multiplatform[]

Userful Multiplatform is a multiseat desktop virtualization product that works with Oracle VirtualBox to enable the creation and management of multiple Windows, Linux, and cloud desktops through commercially available hardware.^[19]

Userful Desktop & Pre-Book[]

Userful Desktop combines a customized and configurable GNOME desktop managed remotely with in-house tools. The product is specifically designed as a full public computing solution^[buzzword] for kiosks and public access computers. Desktop settings are managed by session profiles, which are created and stored through a central web portal.

Pre-Book is an open source PC reservation system. Originally it had client software for Userful/Linux and Windows, however the OpenSource Windows software has since been discontinued. Pre-book is now feature available for people using the Userful platform for public computing wanting to do advance reservations multi-location time management. It is available as a cloud subscription as a feature of their.^[20]

Userful Platform[]

Starting with release 8.5 Userful’s desktop virtualization and video wall features were joined into a single platform that offers both virtual desktops and video wall and digital signage solutions.^[buzzword] Starting with release 8.9 public computing features from Userful Desktop and pre-Book were also merged into the unified platform is just called "Userful".

Discontinued Products[]

Userful MultiSeat Linux[]

Userful MultiSeat Linux, replaced by Userful Multiplatform, is a software that turns one Linux computer into up to 20 or more independent computer stations and includes educational applications. Userful MultiSeat Linux software is the Linux-based equivalent of Windows MultiPoint Server for multiseat solutions^[buzzword] in the education sector.^[21]

Userful MultiSeat[]

Userful MultiSeat, formerly Userful Multiplier, is a commercial Linux-based multiseat configuration software package. It allows multiple independent users to connect to a single host PC at the same time, each with their own monitor, keyboard, mouse, and applications.^[22][23]

See also[]

• Video Walls
• Video Wall Controller/Processor
• Network Video Walls
• Multiseat Computing
• Video Wall Software
• Touch Screens
• Public Computing
• Simple VDI
• Cloud management

References[]