[Art]

Just trying to get a feel for what  or rather how the masses have their computer set up.

Some favor a fully running machine available at a moment's notice while others don't
mind shaking the mouse or tapping the keyboard to awaken the sleeping giant.

Let's hear your particular setup especially if it differs from the poll topics.

Thanks!!

[Duskrider]

I voted 24/7 but really it's like 24/6
I turn it off if I'm gone the whole day.

[DaveMorton]

I run a web server and a local media server on my box, so it has to be up and running at all times. not to mention that my computer is my alarm clock, too.

[Bragi]

mine wakes up at 8-ish in the morning and goes to hibernate at 8:30+- in the evening. once and a while, I turn it off completely, when it starts to go a bit slow 
it hardly misses a day though.

[Data]

When I run SETI I used to leave it on all night, then I got given a power consumption gadget and noticed the PC would take about 350 Watts, so that had to stop, now I turn it on when getting out of bed, normally booted when I have my coffee in my hand, and turn it off when going to bed.

I also gave up SETI as it cost too much to have my PC running flat-out all day.

[Art]

I leave mine on 24/7 but during inactivity it goes to Sleep. This way if my Anti-Virus program needs to run a scheduled event it can.
If I have a screen saver on or powered down, it will not. Some of my scheduled scans are during the wee hours either late at night
or very early in the morning as I do not like to compete for computer time while another program is trying to run.

The monitor is a touch screen so I simply touch it to turn it off and this doesn't affect the computer as a screen saver might.

Appreciate the input!

[Freddy]

The closest option for me was 24/7.  But it's more like 14/7.  I turn it on in the morning and turn it off at night.  I don't allow sleep mode but I do allow the screen to turn off after ten minutes.

[Carl2]

  I use mine in the morning and again later in the afternoon or evening. It gets turned off after use.
Carl2

[GT40]

My PC sleeps when I sleep.

But we don't sleep together.

[Art]

My PC sleeps when I sleep.

But we don't sleep together.

Awww... was it something you said?

[victorshulist]

Art,  that's hilarious .....   I bet the computer always tells him  "I have a head ache" . . .


well, we have 3 machines in the house... one  (the "downloader") stays on all the time , 24 X 7, downloading movies, TV shows, full time.     My laptop is shutdown totally.   And the "media computer"  (that is hooked to the TV) only sees consciousness during the time we play a dowloaded movie (which is transfered to it from the "download computer" on demand).

[Data]

Mr anal here 

Just so everyone knows when a computer is in sleep mode they do still take power, this is because the power supplies we use draw power even when they are doing nothing.

Depending on the power supply this could be up to 40 Watts.

[Bragi]

up to 40W, ok that's not nothing. I knew it was something, but not that much. Is there an easy way to check this without buying new gear (note, I have this simple electro meter for volts and stuff, just can't use it properly    ) I have a regular dell, desktop model, I would definitely like to know what it consumes in stand by mode.

[Art]

Good to know Data and I think a lot of us kind of figured that was going on.

I also think most realize that while electricity will be consumed, it will usually be far less then if the
computer was fully powered and the convenience is certainly worth having (for me). I really
don't like waiting for the computer to power up from a turned off condition, especially when
I am in need of news and weather before I head off to work (I work outside - so weather is
important to know).

Yes, I know the old joke:

Wife to husband while he's sitting in his favorite chair reading, "Is it raining?" (expecting him to get up and go see).

Husband to wife while he calmly turns the page, "I don't know - Let the dog in and see if he's wet!!"

[Data]

I wouldn’t recommend trying to use a regular volt meter to test power consumption, unless you are an electrician, you would have to start poking those electrodes into some dangerous places. 

The safe way is to use a gadget like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plug-In-Power-and-Energy-Monitor/dp/B000Q7PJGW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307544504&sr=8-1

(To be fair the link above is not affiliated)

If you shop around on the web I’ve seen them for around £10, something like $15. 

I found out some interesting things with mine, like, when you shut down a PC but don’t switch it off at the mains socket or by the switch on the back they still take power.

Plenty of other electronic devices in the house do the same type of things, if the device runs on low voltage and needs a power supply, unless the switch cuts off the mains power, which they often don’t, then normally they are still taking power.

In these energy expensive times it all adds up and I can honestly say I have saved money with my power consumption gadget.