Why shell out as much as $2,000 for a second PC when you can clone your first for just $149.95? That's the pitch Vega Technologies is making for its Buddy PC product.

According to the company, the easy-to-install Buddy system requires only the addition of a second monitor, keyboard and mouse to allow two users to simultaneously access word processing, spreadsheets and other everyday applications from the same primary machine.

Users can also surf the Web and access e-mail at the same time, cutting costs even further by sharing the same modem, phone line and Internet connection. Add a second Buddy system, and three users can share one PC.

Designed for small businesses, families, schools, libraries and similar settings, the Buddy PC utilizes new "concurrency" technology that takes advantage of the super-computing power of today's PCs and the multitasking capabilities of Windows 95/98/NT, Vega claims.

In effect, Vega's concurrency software creates a second or third PC as powerful as the first, with the ability to run multiple virtual sessions in the host computer.

For all but the most graphic-intensive applications, Vega says there is no noticeable effect on processing or surfing speed because the system simply draws on computing resources that are otherwise unused.

Each Buddy PC station can be located up to 50 feet away from the home or office's primary PC, allowing additional users to be situated at adjacent desks or in offices or bedrooms down the hall. Each user can set up his or her "system" according to personal preference, including screen colors, wallpapers and desktops customized to suit individual needs.

Each Buddy PC kit consists of Vega's concurrency software, a VGA card that plugs into the primary PC, a 15-foot cable, and a mouse-sized connector box for attaching the extra monitor, keyboard and mouse. The system also accommodates a 50-foot cable for longer distances.

Minimum requirements for a two-user system include a Pentium 100MHz or equivalent, Windows 95/98/NT, 16MB of RAM (32MB recommended) and an available ISA slot.

Buddy PC is available at retail stores and direct from Vega Technologies at http://www.vegatechnologies.com .