Computer Usage

marti1900 · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 7:51 am Post subject: Computer Usage

Mad's post about his candles reminded me of this fact: a computer left on all the time burns about as much electricity as three light bulbs.

Our main computer setup includes a surge protector with it's little red light, a power strip, with it's little red light, a printer, with it's little green light, all glowing merrily.

We shut down completely the computer each night, but the rest of the stuff stays plugged in and glowing, keeping the electric company in business.

I am wondering how many of you turn on your home computers in the morning and leave them on all day (and maybe all night)?

We have two other laptops which we also use, but one is turned on only when in actual use, usually on in the evening, and the other is used for a couple of hours in the AM, and then turned off completely.

What's the situation in your households?

Marti in Mexico

Chris OConnor · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 8:07 am Post subject: Re: Computer Usage

I leave mine on for days on end.

Mr. Pessimistic · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 8:17 am Post subject: Re: Computer Usage

I never really shut mine down. Shutting down is actually not good for the computer in the long run.

Mr. P.

The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.

The pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand; the kind you can feel in your heart...Scorsese's "Mean Streets"

I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper

MadArchitect · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 1:29 pm Post subject: Re: Computer Usage

marti1900: I am wondering how many of you turn on your home computers in the morning and leave them on all day (and maybe all night)?

I used to -- a former roommate assured me that it didn't burn much energy so long as the computer was in sleep mode, but the energy bill that prompted me to start using more candles also prompted me to start shutting my computer down whenever I'm not using it. And since I do most of my internet work at the public library, I usually only use my home computer about two to three times a week.

But what I've been thinking about lately are all those other electronics that stay on in a dormant mode when not in use. Basically any appliance that uses a remote control, for instance, has to stay on even when it is technically off. My TV, my stereo, my VCR and DVD players -- those are all on nearly all the time. My DVD player is probably the most economical of the bunch, since it has a standby mode and a full off mode, but even then there's a little red light by the power button that stays on. Granted, that's probably not burning much electricity, but it isn't energy that I need to be using at all.

tarav · Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: Computer Usage

I turn mine on when I get in from work and shut it down about 2 hours later when I'm finished checking my email and reading/posting on BookTalk. On Thursdays I will leave it on till after I chat.
Also, when I first started teaching, we were told to leave the computers on at all times. Now we shut them down at the end of every day.

TimeForABaby · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 12:12 am Post subject: Re: Computer Usage

Yikes - never thought about it. We leave 2-3 computers on all day sometimes. (Yes - we have too many computers - but we're from Silicon Valley & every household needs at least 3-4 computers you know).

My husband's computer is on 24/7 because he is always either downloading or rendering stuff - he does a lot of video work.

Our energy bills are pretty low so never thoguht they were using much energy. Something to consider... Thanks for enlightening us.

Edited by: Chris OConnor at: 9/21/05 7:25 pm

0Lion0Eyes0 · Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 12:20 am Post subject: Re: Computer Usage

yikes - that was me logged intp the wrong ezboard account. Sorry!


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