On Fri, 20 Oct 2000, you wrote:
> Why is it better to leave a computer on 24/7?
I've seen most all the other replies. As was said, there's
pros and cons. I still believe if you turn your computer on every
day, you're just as well off to leave it on. My main reason is
Linux is usually set to run it's cron jobs at 4am. If you're
systems off, obviously these updates don't get done.
Power: most desktop systems use about 150 watts or less. This
drops a lot when the monitor goes into suspend. If heats a problem
when running 24/7, you've got hardware problems. Linux sends HLT
signals to the cpu when it's idle, basically turning it off. I run
a p3-450 overclocked to 608mhz, 24/7, no problems. I read sometime
ago that the difference in your electric bill to leave your computer
on 27/7 as opposed to on/off everyday is about $2 to $3 month at
most.
UPS: Contrary to what someone said, Wal*Mart is a great place
to buy an UPS. They sell the best brand, APC, at very competitive
prices. Sometime ago I bought an APC BackUPs 500 at wally world for
$123. The 500 is more than adequate for a desktop system and also
features the serial port connection to shutdown the OS and power off
the system in an extended power outage. An UPS is almost a
requisite for a Linux (file) system, but it also provides better
power protection for your hardware than even the best surge
protectors. It not only eliminate surges, it also boosts and cleans
the power during brownouts and power dips (like when your A/C starts
up). I'm not intending to plug Wal*Mart, but buying an UPS online
is expensive because they're heavy (ie, shipping costs). I do
strongly recommend using an UPS on any computer system, regardless
of what OS you use. Some of y'all might even find that problems you
have with Windoze are really caused by your electric company or
house wiring ;)
--
Tom Brinkman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Galveston Bay
