Turning off your computer?

[Stitchawl]

1. I never turn off my computer except when I leave the house for a few days. It's on 24/7.
2. I leave my computer on all day, but turn it off at night.
3. I turn off my computer each time I finish a session.
4. I never turn my computer on. I want it to last longer.

What is your usual computer usage? (Please apply this to computers that are stationary.)

I guess there will be an obvious difference for those using desktop computers and those using laptops, notebooks, and other portables that would get turned off when mobile.

It's my habit never to turn off my computer. I do this for two reasons;
1. I believe that the initial electrical surge is more damaging to the machine than leaving it on, and
2. I like to be able to instantly have information at my command. I turn to the computer several times a day with questions of one sort or another, be it a recipe for dinner or a question about fixing my sink faucet.

Right now, the computer that I'm using is about 5 years old. I've changed a few bits inside here and there, but nothing major. It's only off if I'm away from home for more than a couple of days.

Stitchawl

[mellina 52]

Mine powers done, kind of like sleeping. Push a button and it wakes up.

[CWatkinsNash]

I selected the second option, but I need to clarify - I only turn it off at night because of the indicator lights, as my main desktop computer is in the room where I sleep. If not for that, I'd leave it on and probably reboot about once a week.

My laptops also get turned on in the morning and stay on until I go to bed.

[grumbles]

There are five computers here. There is a netbook that is used only for downloading from Adobe adept (inept) sites (library, etc.) Books are downloaded, disinfected and moved to my main system running Linux. That machine is never turned off, since it is used for net access including email. The netbook stays on no longer than necessary.

Then there is the eee Box that is connected to the TV. It only stays on when we want to watch something.

I have another computer running XP. This is used for scanning and OCR (until I find a decent OCR program for Linux. Anyone tried running Abby Sprint under wine?)

Then there is my wife's computer. It is turned on first thing in the morning and is only turned off overnight.

I am also in a bulk metered apartment building. As a result, I do not pay for my electricity, or rather it is a flat rate in my rent. If we were billed by usage, I would probably replace my main computer (a Pentium D) with another eee Box and keep all the others off except when in use.

[Stitchawl]

I wonder how much it costs me for electricity to my computer? The monitor turns of if not used for 30 minutes, but I can't imagine it being more than about $100 a year, if that much, for the computer...


Stitchawl

[sakura-panda]

I don't use my home computer every day, so I turn it off between uses. I might turn it on Saturday morning and not turn it off until Sunday night, but during the week, I turn it off at night if I use it.

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

2. I like to be able to instantly have information at my command. I turn to the computer several times a day with questions of one sort or another, be it a recipe for dinner or a question about fixing my sink faucet.

My husband and I use our wi-fi tablets (an Apple iPad and a Samsung Galaxy Tab) for this sort of thing. It is exactly the kind of thing that make them worth the investment!

[amward]

I selected 1. but I do turn it off occasionally.

[RainingLemur]

I leave my lappy on all day, but kill it when it's bed time. I'm off and on all day, anyhow.

[Cyberman tM]

I chose the second choice - leaving it on all day.
However, it's not entirely correct - I leave it on all day at weekends only, during the rest of the week I only have it on when I'm at home, but then constantly.

(Since I've got an ASUS board, one of their programs, 6engine, reduces power consumption when the PC isn't in use. Of course, another program, Folding at Home, increases consumption I guess.
Anyway, I like having constant access when I'm at home, or mostly at home.)

[Sweetpea]

I selected 2, but that doesn't cover it completely.

As with Cyberman, I leave it on all day when I'm at home, otherwise it's off.

Also, I do turn it off at night, unless I'm doing a major download (I prefer to let my PC doing that at night) or when I'm recoding video (also done at night). This can also be done during the day when I'm at work (like today, my PC is now recoding some recorded videos so that our TV can play it and I'm at work).

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Cyberman tM

(Since I've got an ASUS board, one of their programs, 6engine, reduces power consumption when the PC isn't in use.

I've been a fan of ASUS motherboards for years, and love the way 6engine handles the power to the machine! Behind the scenes and works like a charm!


Stitchawl

[Billi]

I voted 3 (turning on for each session, altough these sessions can become very long ).
My computer is standing in the living room and as it is not the newest model it is pretty loud. That's my main reason for shutting down the PC whenever I don't use it, energy consumption is, to some extend, another.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Billi

I voted 3 (turning on for each session, altough these sessions can become very long ).
My computer is standing in the living room and as it is not the newest model it is pretty loud. That's my main reason for shutting down the PC whenever I don't use it, energy consumption is, to some extend, another.

My computer really needs a re-install... If I were to turn it off between sessions, I might as well not turn it back on, as it can take 10 minutes before it's even useable! And sleeping doesn't work somehow. I think I broke it...

[Iphinome]

They can be turned off?

When I'm finished using my desktop I just walk away. Waiting for 50 tabs to reload every time I relaunch firefox isn't my idea of fun.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

My computer really needs a re-install... If I were to turn it off between sessions, I might as well not turn it back on, as it can take 10 minutes before it's even useable! And sleeping doesn't work somehow. I think I broke it...

I do a clean install every 5-6 months. I keep nothing on my 'C' drive except the operating system and programs. All 'saved data' is stored in external drives. All I need to do is copy the C drive 'Application Data' for my browser, mail client, and a few other applications from the 'Documents and Settings folder to an external drive, do a quick format of the C drive, re-install my applications and over-write the App Data. It takes me 3-4 hours and the machine is back to running like brandywine new, but with all my old preferences and setting already loaded! No need to labor through each program getting it set up the way I like.


Stitchawl