There's several schools of thought on this one. Technically it is better to leave a computer running as it eliminates the stress on the power supply and other components during startup.
However I have a hunch that if a machine is run constantly, ultimately it will "wear out" more quickly. Also there is the issue of electricity - if you're paying an electricity bill for a house with several computers running constantly in it you will know that is can be no trifle. That may not be an issue in America but it certainly is in the UK.
Again though, some people shut down their computer once they've finished doing a certain task (on the internet for example) and then start their computer up later on to carry out another task. Some people will shut down and start up their computer about a dozen times a day. This is not good for the machine and obviously creates the inconvenience of waiting for the user.
I tend to only have the machines on that I am using or know I will be using in the near future. If I know I won't need a machine for a long time, (say more than a day), I will shut it down to conserve power. I shut down my main machine (the G4) every night once I'm finished with it.
This may be because of the fact that I am of the British conservation culture which is probably not as strong in the States.
So, in answer to the initial question, I reckon that a user should think ahead of what they'll be doing with their computers and shut down any computers that they know are going to be idle for a long period until they need them again.
However I have a hunch that if a machine is run constantly, ultimately it will "wear out" more quickly. Also there is the issue of electricity - if you're paying an electricity bill for a house with several computers running constantly in it you will know that is can be no trifle. That may not be an issue in America but it certainly is in the UK.
Again though, some people shut down their computer once they've finished doing a certain task (on the internet for example) and then start their computer up later on to carry out another task. Some people will shut down and start up their computer about a dozen times a day. This is not good for the machine and obviously creates the inconvenience of waiting for the user.
I tend to only have the machines on that I am using or know I will be using in the near future. If I know I won't need a machine for a long time, (say more than a day), I will shut it down to conserve power. I shut down my main machine (the G4) every night once I'm finished with it.
This may be because of the fact that I am of the British conservation culture which is probably not as strong in the States.
So, in answer to the initial question, I reckon that a user should think ahead of what they'll be doing with their computers and shut down any computers that they know are going to be idle for a long period until they need them again.