Abstract: Described is a technology by which a virtual machine may be safely migrated to a computer system with a different platform. Compatibility of the virtual machine may be checked by comparing the virtual machine's capabilities against those of the new platform. To ensure compatibility, when created the virtual machine may have its capabilities limited by the lowest common capabilities of the different platforms available for migration. Computer systems may be grouped into migration pools based upon similar capabilities, and/or a virtual machine may be mapped to certain computer systems based upon capabilities needed by that virtual machine, such as corresponding to needed performance, fault tolerance and/or flexibility.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which a virtual machine may be safely migrated to a computer system with a different platform. Compatibility of the virtual machine may be checked by comparing the virtual machine's capabilities against those of the new platform. To ensure compatibility, when created the virtual machine may have its capabilities limited by the lowest common capabilities of the different platforms available for migration. Computer systems may be grouped into migration pools based upon similar capabilities, and/or a virtual machine may be mapped to certain computer systems based upon capabilities needed by that virtual machine, such as corresponding to needed performance, fault tolerance and/or flexibility.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which a virtual machine may be safely migrated to a computer system with a different platform. Compatibility of the virtual machine may be checked by comparing the virtual machine's capabilities against those of the new platform. To ensure compatibility, when created the virtual machine may have its capabilities limited by the lowest common capabilities of the different platforms available for migration. Computer systems may be grouped into migration pools based upon similar capabilities, and/or a virtual machine may be mapped to certain computer systems based upon capabilities needed by that virtual machine, such as corresponding to needed performance, fault tolerance and/or flexibility.

Abstract: A method and a memory manager for managing data storage in a plurality of types of memories. The types of memories may comprise a primary memory, such as DRAM, and a secondary memory, such as a phase change memory (PCM) or Flash memory, which may have a limited lifetime. The memory manager may be part of an operating system and may manage the memories as part of a unified address space. Characteristics of data to be stored in the memories may be used to select between the primary and secondary memories to store the data and move data between the memories. When the data is to be stored in the secondary memory, health information on the secondary memory and characteristics of the data to be stored may be used to select a location within the secondary memory to store the data.

Abstract: A method includes, but is not limited to: obtaining status information about one or more physical attributes associated with one or more first physical entities and one or more second physical entities, the one or more physical attributes each being perceived by one or more humans as being capable of having one or more effects upon one or more physical environments, obtaining input information from at least one of the one or more humans through at least in part one or more social networking services, the input information associated with at least one of the one or more physical attributes, and determining assessment information comparing the one or more first physical entities with the one or more second physical entities based at least in part upon the status information and based at least in part upon the input information. In addition to the foregoing, other related method/system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

Abstract: A method includes, but is not limited to: obtaining status information about one or more physical attributes associated with one or more first physical entities and one or more second physical entities, the one or more physical attributes each being perceived by one or more humans as being capable of having one or more effects upon one or more physical environments, obtaining input information from at least one of the one or more humans through at least in part one or more social networking services, the input information associated with at least one of the one or more physical attributes, and determining assessment information comparing the one or more first physical entities with the one or more second physical entities based at least in part upon the status information and based at least in part upon the input information. In addition to the foregoing, other related method/system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining efficiency-of-use scores related to uses of a product by two or more users may implement operations including, but not limited to: computing at least one of an efficiency-of-use score and an environmental impact quantification according to data associated with a use of a physical product by a user over a period of time the user is indicated as having control of the physical product; and publishing the at least one of an efficiency-of-use score and an ecological impact quantification associated with the use of the product by the user to a social media interface.

Abstract: Embodiments for interacting with cloud computing providers are disclosed. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a resource broker receives a request for a computing task that is to be performed from a customer. The resource broker selects one of the cloud computing providers to perform at least a part of the computing task. In turn, the resource broker may obtain a gain from performance of the at least one part of the computing task by the cloud computing provider.

Abstract: Systems, methods, computer-readable storage mediums including computer-readable instructions and/or circuitry for monitoring ecological impact of disposal of a product by a user may implement operations including, but not limited to: determining a disposal mode of at least a portion of a physical product associated with a user; and associating an ecological impact quantification associated with the disposal mode with a user account associated with the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing ecological impact quantification identifiers may implement operations including, but not limited to computing at least one ecological impact quantification associated with at least one life-cycle phase of a product; and means for assigning at least one of a positive ecological impact status, a negative ecological impact status and a neutral ecological impact status with a user account according to the at least one ecological impact quantification.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining efficiency-of-use scores related to uses of a product by two or more users may implement operations including, but not limited to: associating a physical product with a user account associated with a user in response to a signal indicating that the user has control of the physical product; receiving data associated with use of the physical product by the user during a period of time the user has control of the physical product; computing at least one of an efficiency-of-use score and an environmental impact quantification according to the data associated with the use of the physical product by the user over a period of time the user is indicated as having control of the physical product; and publishing at least one of the efficiency-of-use score and the environmental impact quantification.

Abstract: A method for associating an efficiency-of-use-score may include, but is not limited to: associating a physical product with a user account in response to a signal indicating that a user has control of the physical product; generating an efficiency-of-use score based on information associated with how the physical product is used during a period of time that the user has control of the physical product; and associating the efficiency-of-use score with the user account.

Abstract: A system includes, but is not limited to, a physical product associated with a device-readable indicator, the device-readable indicator associated with a first potential-ecological-impact quantification and with a first-disposal-mode identifier describing a first mode of disposing of at least a first portion of the physical product. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing ecological impact quantification identifiers may implement operations including, but not limited to: computing an ecological impact quantification associated with manufacturing at least a portion of a product according to product specification data associated with the product; and means for associating a device-readable indicator corresponding to the ecological impact quantification associated with manufacturing at least a portion of a product with a product manufactured at least partially according the product specification data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining efficiency-of-use scores related to uses of a product by two or more users may implement operations including, but not limited to: associating a physical product with a first user in response to a signal indicating that the first user has control of the physical product; computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of the physical product by the first user; associating the physical product with a second user in response to a signal indicating that the second user has control of the physical product; and computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of the physical product by the second user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining efficiency-of-use scores related to uses of a product by two or more users may implement operations including, but not limited to: computing an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a first physical product of a set of products by a first user and an efficiency-of-use score associated with a use of a second physical product of the set of products by a second user; comparing the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first physical product by the first user to the efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second physical product by the second user; and providing a notification according to the comparison of an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the first product by the first user to an efficiency-of-use score associated with the use of the second product by the second user.

Abstract: A method for determining an ecological impact score may include, but is not limited to: determining an ecological-impact score for acquiring a product, the ecological-impact score generated from at least information that quantifies ecological impact caused by at least a portion of a supply chain used to transport the product; and sending the ecological-impact score to a computing device.

Abstract: A method and a memory manager for managing data storage in a plurality of types of memories. The types of memories may comprise a primary memory, such as DRAM, and a secondary memory, such as a phase change memory (PCM) or Flash memory, which may have a limited lifetime. The memory manager may be part of an operating system and may manage the memories as part of a unified address space. Characteristics of data to be stored in the memories may be used to select between the primary and secondary memories to store the data and move data between the memories. When the data is to be stored in the secondary memory, health information on the secondary memory and characteristics of the data to be stored may be used to select a location within the secondary memory to store the data.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which a virtual machine may be safely migrated to a computer system with a different platform. Compatibility of the virtual machine may be checked by comparing the virtual machine's capabilities against those of the new platform. To ensure compatibility, when created the virtual machine may have its capabilities limited by the lowest common capabilities of the different platforms available for migration. Computer systems may be grouped into migration pools based upon similar capabilities, and/or a virtual machine may be mapped to certain computer systems based upon capabilities needed by that virtual machine, such as corresponding to needed performance, fault tolerance and/or flexibility.

Abstract: A method includes, but is not limited to: obtaining assessment information being performed at least in part by at least one of a machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, the assessment information based at least in part on a comparing being performed at least in part by at least one of a machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, the comparing being between one or more first physical entities and one or more second physical entities, the comparing based at least in part on receiving a selection of the one or more first physical entities, the receiving the selection being performed at least in part by at least one of a machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, the selection being based at least in part on each of the one or more first physical entities being associated with an electronic based social networking service, the comparing being based at least in part upon status information about one or more physical attributes for each of the one or more first phy