>>>> With modern power-saving BIOSes, the thing can even turn the >>>> monitor off (and power down the computer) if you've been away too >>>> long, saving electricity and wear on your system.
> yes, it saves electricity, but powering down the computer increases > wear. Someone once told me that powering-up & powering-down a computer used lots more power than just leaving it on, so if you use your computer a lot during the day, it is better to just leave it on overnight. I have no idea if he knew what he was talking about, this thread reminded me that I had always meant to find out. Does anyone here have any thoughts? I guess I'm asking this question: What is the smallest N for which the statement "If you use your computer for about N hours a day, you're better off just leaving it on all the time." is true? Of course, "better off" wasn't defined... What if "better off" means using less electricity? What if it means saving on wear & tear? And what if the N hours is split in two (i.e., you power-up & -down twice (or M times!) a day)? Kirk
