A "community computer" (or "CC") contains all the information needed by a community. It keeps it safely in a large database, and in thousands of data files that are accessed via the database. It has enough storage online to provide all the members of the community with their own personal information management systems

The CC can contain all the information now kept in diverse spreadsheets, word files, or other databases.

Because it is database-backed, the CC can enforce complex permissions systems, so that every user can decide exactly what any other user can see in their personal data areas.

When a PC stores information, it is readily accessible only to the principal user or users. In the large shared space of a community computer, documents that may be valuable to others in the community are readily accessible. Users can save their work on the CC, then retrieve it from another browser. Work is available where it is needed, not just from the user's main PC.