I think they might be thinking of something like thin clients, if I were to guess, and a server they would connect to. But yes good call out for the XY problem.
Connecting multiple users to Ubuntu is probably pretty difficult. Setting up a server for thin clients is pretty easy
It’s not even hard to carry them anymore, it’s not like we even have to deal with wires. A 10 minute bus ride it’s still just easier to pull out my earbuds and pop them in