Screenbin uses Amazon's EC2 cloud to dynamically instantiate an Ubuntu instance in the cloud, install a specified list of ssh keys, and launch a shared screen session as a guest user. In this manner, screenbin is a collaborative tool like pastebin, or gobby, but provides a shared shell environment.

This is particularly useful for synchronous code reviews, education, collaborative debugging, and demonstrations when a shared terminal between two or more people is required.

Amazon EC2 provides a central location accessible via ssh by all parties, such that no individual needs to modify local firewall settings to allow incoming ssh access. And the 'throw-away' nature of EC2 instances allows the host to immediately destroy the instance should anything go wrong.