Leaving computer on 24/7

[turtle_5731]

I have a laptop, and I DO turn it off. I wanted it so that I could take it places, like to school and whatnot. I have a Toshiba, which apparently has a problem with being closed while staying on, apparently the screens burn out if left on. So I turn it off when I'm taking it someplace. Also I read that leaving it on all the time with it plugged in will ruin the battery life. Since I do want to take it, places I do want the battery life to be as long as possible, so I do what I can to help that. I also read not to leave it plugged in, if not being used for 8 hours or more. But that’s just a laptop, and only if you care about its battery life. Other then that I know of no reason why not to leave it on 24/7 other then waiting electricity.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

I don't consider it wasting electricity, If i'm downloading movies or leaving my chat client or Msn running all night, that's how i communicate with my family, i can always be reached by them on there Day or night. i have 5.0 mbps internet. i pay for it , SO i use it 24/7

 

[kornpone]

Just because you're paying for the electricity doesn't mean you're not wasting it. Why are people always reducing the question of energy consumption down to economics? There's more at stake than just that! Eveyone pays for it, that's not the point -- the point is being conscientious about unecessarily using power on ALL appliances, the computer just being one of those.

As for communicating with the family, there's always something called the telephone.

But back to the original topic, I'm still not totally convinced that I shouldn't switch off the computer regularly as a good maintanance practice. There have been people who said that they leave their computer on 24/7 with no problems. Well and good. But I can counter that by sayiing that since my laptop got installed with a new hard drive almost a year ago, I've been shutting it off every night, and I've had no problems whatsoever with it -- my boot-up time is just as fast as it was when the new hard drive was installed.

As someone else said, I guess it comes down to how you prefer to use your machine. My inclination is to treat it with care, which in my perhaps mislead way of thinking means giving it a rest. I also like to take it to Disneyland sometimes and feed it Pringles.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

if you are using it. i think that is a valid arugment. i've left mine on for a week or so when i was downloading a large file and it took that long. now you could arge i didn't need the file and so i was wasteing electricity by downloading it. but thats not what i'm talking about. i'm talking about your computer sitting there on and you are not using it and it's not doing anything except being on. now leaving a chat clinent on all night...can't you get messages you were sent when you were offline? i mean if your not home or asleep what difference does it make if your chat client or messenger is on?

i shut down every day and if i'm going to be away from it for more than an hour or so. it used to be you had to push the power button to shut down or start up. And i heard back in the day that could cause the power switch to die an early death vs leaving it on all the time. but now days most computers shut off without having to push the power button so i doubt that's a concern anymore.

besides all that...if you are not home and your computer is on and plugged in and a storm blows up and lightning stricks your house or what not, your computer is likely to be toast. when i leave home i unplug my computer from the outlet. so there is another reason to not leave it on 24/7.

 

[buzzj]

My argument has always been to turn it off. Think about this; Inside the computer there are moving parts (fan, hard drive etc..) eventually they are going to burn out. Keep the computer on all the time and you will burn out the equipment a lot quicker.

I leave mine on all the time. The reasoning into which I bought is that a start-up is very stressful, and to be avoided if possible.

 

[Jerry2000]

In my experience it is best to leave the computer on during the day and shut it off at night/when not using it. Then crank it up in the morning. The reasoning is if you are using a windows machine the ram and the page file can get cluttered up with the stuff you were doing that didn’t let go of the memory.

On the other hand if you are using a Linux/unix system or BSD (macintosh) that handles the memory clutter a bit better than go ahead and let it run. Although even with these it is a good idea to give them a fresh boot ever two or three days.

 

[Homoaffectional]

I can tell you that I do it because of my various neuroses, but it certainly isn't good for your computer. There are things I get out of it, but I'm not the average Joe, so...

BTW, you're a [gay] Rawhide Kid fan, too? Love it! Do you ever post in the Entertainment/comics section of the JUB forums?

 

[thermodynamics]

My usual recommendation is on in the morning, turn it off at night (or when you leave, if we're talking work). Hard drives aren't keen on power up/down cycles, so turning it on/off every few minutes when you leave your desk is not a great idea. But if you're at work and you know you're going to be away for a few hours, you might as well shut it down, just don't get excessive with it. It used to not be an issue, but the power consumption of modern machines is whopping. A 250W computer (normal by today's standards) is about $0.02 per hour to operate. So go ahead and do the math if you wish.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

/\ it should be. that is $87.60 of fossil fuel that is NOT burnt.

for the record only a old computer would have a 250W power supply. power supplies now are more like 350-400W. And that doesn't include the monitor, speakers, etc.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

" As for communicating with the family, there's always something called the telephone. "


I had my phone shut off to save money, I was paying for it and never using it enought. When i talk to my family more over msn messenger.

YES, we all pay for energy. BUt we are charged at a higher rate per killowatt hour then it cost to produce it. so the electric company makes money.

I PAY for it. so i Use it. If i'm not useing it , i dont' pay for it.

Same with my computer... What good is it doing off ?

A computer can only be put to use when it is powered on. It's that simple.

you dont' disconnect the battery in your car when your not useing it do you ?

Or diconnect the power from your house or apartment if your not at home do you ?

:O)

 

[kornpone]

" As for communicating with the family, there's always something called the telephone. "


I had my phone shut off to save money, I was paying for it and never using it enought. When i talk to my family more over msn messenger.

YES, we all pay for energy. BUt we are charged at a higher rate per killowatt hour then it cost to produce it. so the electric company makes money.

I PAY for it. so i Use it. If i'm not useing it , i dont' pay for it.

Same with my computer... What good is it doing off ?

A computer can only be put to use when it is powered on. It's that simple.

you dont' disconnect the battery in your car when your not useing it do you ?

Or diconnect the power from your house or apartment if your not at home do you ?

:O)

Again, I'll say that economics is not the only or (for me, anyways) primary concern here.

And I'm not trying to be disrespectful of your personal choices. It's just that I'm very concerned with the state of the environment and the world -- and I think that such concerns overrides any individual user's issues. On the other hand, what we do about it begins with our own personal choices.

I doubt very much that everyone uses their computer 24/7 or needs to have it on all the time (and that's not saying there aren't valid reasons for some to have it on all the time). Just like with anything other utility, if it's not being used I think it's wiser to have it turned off.

The environmetal thing is more a matter of principle than anything else. It's very dispiriting to read that a lot of people simply don't care enough to make it a concern.

 

[thermodynamics]

I tend to be a turn it on in the morning, turn it off at night kind of person. That's really what I'd recommend. And if you're going to be away from your desk for a while (say, 2+ hrs), turn it off then too. The hard drives can take it. We're talking about HD lifespan of 10+ years here. The machine will be obsolete by then.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

ewaste is supposed to be a major issue so i hear. And i can well imagine it. i recycle my old electronic stuff also but i don't really know how much actually gets recycled vs slapped in a land fill.

i was thinking thought that the 87.60 figure is one pesrson with a 250W computer. so how many people on here already said they leave theirs on 24/7. now how many of those are really only using 250W power supplies. i have a mostly lower end pc and my power supply is 350W.

i cring at work because i see little yellow ligths on everyone's monitors at the end of the day so i know people are not turning off their monitors, even though the computer is off. And i see perfectly healthy people pushing the handicap door button all the time for the main doors and the rest rooms. i should send an email but then i'd probably get fired. lol

Ya, I’m thinking the $87.60 figure is too low myself.

But I’m still wondering about the boot up wear and tear on the parts, and how much fossil fuel and raw materials are used to make replacement parts and computers.

And, of course, what’s being done with the old stuff? I actually do disassemble my old computer components so I can sort for recycling, but I doubt many others do that. I hate waste, and I hate landfills.

The heat these things put out is also an important point to ponder. If you are leaving them on in a warm climate, they could be fighting with your air conditioning adding to the expense and use of fossil fuel. But if you are in a cold climate, they could actually be assisting the heating system, and maybe saving fossil fuel.

Right now, it sounds like shutting down is better then letting them run all the time.

But some good points have been made about both choices.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

A computer can only be put to use when it is powered on. It's that simple.

you dont' disconnect the battery in your car when your not useing it do you ?

Or diconnect the power from your house or apartment if your not at home do you ?

:O)

no you don't disconnect the battery to your car, but you so shut your car off. why not leave it running. startup is supposedly what damages your engine the most because their is no oil up in the engine it's all down in the oil pan. you don't leave your car on because it's a waste of gas=money.

and no you don't disconnect the power from your house, but surely you don't leave every light on? why not, because it's a waste of electricity=money. the same idea i would think would hold for the computer being on. yes? no? maybe?

 

[mike_n_herrin]

/\ sleep mode and low power stand by is far better than just letting the thing idle for 12 hours a day. sleep mode is at least a user's effort at using less power. so i commend that.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

i have an emachine 766 wiht a 120watt power supply

my monitor is energy star compliant so is the computer.

it's my TV, entertainment,radio,communications tool. I dont' have a TV or phone.

i am saving money this way. and energy.

If i was running a Tv,radio,computer,phone, i would be useing more power.

 

[mike_n_herrin]

well...i'm a biology person so i guess i look at it as try and save as much as you can if you can do something to reduce your usage.

i guess if you are trying to conserve in other ways maybe it all evens out.