Thread: how often do you shut down?

I turn my computer of before I go to bed, school, work or any extanded period of time I won't be using it. If I am just going to eat dinner then I only turn the moniter off.

I don't get it why should'nt you turn your computer off...

It's a waste of electricity, and of course money (even if it's a small amount), but the computer's not doing anything at all.

just a suggestion: if the computer's on, the fans start to wear off, because of friction, and after some time I think they won't cool the processor enough.

is that possible?


Oskilian

Not really saying you should or shouldn't... it is a toss up and depends on your computer practices anyway. I would hope that by reading my posts, you would see that it may not be a real "waste of electricity." (which is kind of a very non-technical term... because power is used in watts. I have a transmitter that uses more watts in one second than your entire house does in a year.)

The fan/processor idea you state is just as likely to ocurr as turning your computer off and on creates brittle conductors due to hot/cold/hot/cold/hot/cold which causes your fan coil to break... thereby stopping it from spinning... thereby overheating your processor. So yes you are right... and no you are wrong: depends what theory fits your ideals best.

Also, as in my last post... there is leaky power in all electronic gear even when off. It is possible for standby mode in modern computers to keep costs down to $2 per year. (but I think that is in standby the entire year.) Standby mode can shut down your disks and your fan only runs if you processor or powersupply gets hot, usually.

So if you choose not to shut down your computer... make sure you use standby mode efficiently.

It isn't all black and white, like shut off your computer and you save electricity. Shut off your computer for a year and you save electricity would be a true statment.... or maybe even a week... or maybe even a few days. But there is a point in which turning your computer on and off every day (or multiple times per day) ends up costing you more in power (watts) and maybe in hardware. So it depends on your use... and if you really care.

I make enough money to afford electricity and buy a new computer every two-three years. Haven't had one break on me prematurely yet... knock on wood.

yeah, I only really turn it off when

1) windows crashes
-or-
2) I'll be away for an extended period of time

other than that I'm just too lazy to

1) windows crashes

Well since you run ME, you turn off your computer every few minutes.

>Well since you run ME, you turn off your computer every few minutes.

not true! a clean install always works... there is always an answer to your problems!

I shut down when I'm done using it. I get nervous when it's on and I'm not sitting at it.

--Garfield

Originally posted by adrianxw
Theologian:
Your response was directly below mine so I am not sure if you were responding or simply making a perfectly valid point with which I would agree.

Just making a point-- I understood your original post.

Someone posted that it takes 3 hours worth of power to start a flourescent bulb up. I would imagine that this varies w/specific types of bulbs but it gives an idea of what is going on.

I would love if there was some kind of good figure like that for a computer. Though I would imagine what peripherals are attached has a large impact.

But I think a lot of people have enough down time on their machines that shutting them off is worth while. I know I do. After coding all day at work I don't normally spend a lot of time on my computers at home.

My machine here at work is almost never off. It is pretty much used around the clock.