In computer processing, time sharing involves having many users utilize a single computer. This is a common approach to using larger computers such as mainframes, since it splits their cost among many users. Time sharing is efficient, because the computer services staff can be located in one place, monitoring the computer systems. Users can log in from distant locations and can usually be walked through any issues they may have by a centralized customer service team.
The time sharing concept also applies to real estate, where a number of owners have the right to use the same property, with each using it in a different time slot. This is an efficient approach to owning property, since individual owners with limited resources might not otherwise be able to own any property at all.