Quite right, Joe, and apologies for the lack of fanfare. This series of questions and answers should cover most areas, but if not then feel free to comment.

Is the EcoDisc really eco friendly? And why is it so much lighter?

The main reason for the lightness is that it’s a single layer of polycarbonate plastic, instead of the two bonded layers found in a conventional DVD5 disc (DVD5 denotes a single-sided, single-layer DVD with a 4.7GB capacity, and is the most common type).

According to EcoDisc, that means manufacturing one disc produces 52% less carbon dioxide than normal, and it also means the discs are fully recyclable as they don’t contain the non-biodegradable resin needed to bond the two halves of a normal DVD5 disc together.

As you can see from the “EcoDisc Carbon Calculator” above, the total amount of carbon dioxide “saved” per year, by PC Pro alone, equates to over 30,000kg.

Aha! If it’s half the size of a DVD, does that mean it only holds half the data?

Nope. Just like a normal DVD5 disc, its capacity is 4.7GB. To quote EcoDisc, the “second half of a conventional DVD5 is only a dummy, which does not contain any data”.

Will it work with my PC?

As much as we can guarantee anything in this world, yes. You can download a PDF with the full testing results of over 400 DVD players and drives, but I’ll save you some time: the only drive to fail was the Sony DVP-S315, and that’s a domestic DVD player.

So why is PC Pro doing this? To save the planet or save money?

Arguably, we should have done it some time ago, but we were still cautious about the EcoDisc’s compatibility. Those concerns have now been fully answered.

Does it save us money? Yes: while I can’t reveal exactly how much we pay per DVD5 or EcoDisc, the latter works out at 0.5p per disc cheaper, which isn’t to be sneezed at over the course of a year.

What about CDs? And going without a disc altogether?

EcoDisc does produce a CD version, but right now it’s only suitable for audio. A CD-ROM is in the works and when it’s released we’ll evaluate just how reliable it is.

Regarding removing the disc altogether – it’s something we do look at on a regular basis, but the simple and unavoidable fact is that people do like to own media containing the software.

From my point of view, then, it still makes sense to supply the magazine with a cover disc. That may yet change; as I say, it’s a question we tackle every single year.

Where can I find an issue with an EcoDisc?

Every DVD edition of PC Pro includes the EcoDisc now, whether you’re a subscriber or you buy the magazine on the newsstand.

We switched to the EcoDisc as of issue 190, pictured here.

But the one problem online retailers have is capturing the browsing shopper. With only a home page to compete with the highly visible displays in most shop windows, it’s not easy to simply wander around an online store and spot something you may not have been looking for.

Step forward Amazon WindowShop.

Like Apple’s Cover Flow after a couple of Pro Plus and six cans of Red Bull, it’s basically a huge grid of the latest and best offerings from Amazon, easily navigated with the cursor keys. Flick through the bestselling DVDs of the week, the artists Amazon thinks you should hear and editors picks of the latest novels.

It’s all very slick, but all seems a little pointless – until you actually see what Amazon is offering you. Press Space to zoom in on an item and the appeal becomes clear: audio extracts from books and CDs, video clips and trailers for DVDs and games, including extras or interviews and anything else that may accompany a particular product. And if that’s not hypnotic enough, you can buy anything you like right there and then.

Our only real concern is in the name – WindowShop. Could it be that, as with most branches of Borders and Waterstones these days, it just further narrows most people’s taste range to the few heavily-marketed products that are waved before their eyes as they walk through the door?

I’d like to believe it heralds a new generation of web shops, but I can’t help thinking it’ll simply be used to sell more copies of High School Musical to people who really should be buying The Wire.