While the debate over whether or not to turn off your laptop rages on, What about iMacs or desktop PCs? Do you let it go to sleep or shut it completely down? I'm also curious about why you do what you do.
@kel
One of the first options I turn off on every new computer. When I was on Gateway's help desk we got several calls a week from people freaking out because they thought the computer in their cubical was off when it suddenly sprang to life. 😆
@Jeber desktop that gets shutdown completely because it has a power light that messes with my sleep.
@Jeber I let my desktop go to sleep.
Some Windows PC 's gradually use more memory if they don't get restarted periodically. In my case it's been mostly the browser, but restarting the OS helps free up swap space.
@Jeber I shut my desktop down end of day. My iPhone is on continuously except I've recently read all computers should be turned off once a week at least to support security upgrades.
@Jeber Sleep. But I periodically have to reboot I find.
Something about the automatic updates gets screwed up and leaves it in a weird state.
@Jeber I typically leave devices on unless there is a reason to restart them, but I lived in unix world for a long time.
I typically rely on sleep and hibernate to keep devices ready, although with modern ones they start in a few seconds even from an off state.
Of course, with a Windows machine, restarts are frequent and may happen whether you like or not, and it feels like most consumer-level devices are so shoddily programmed now that everything gets shitty if you don't restart frequently.
@Jeber A powered off device is a disconnected device, so I shut my systems down whenever they're not in use. This reduces all manner of risks associated with leaving it on (port scanners, zero days, etc.)
Note: That's a complete shutdown. Most systems have a "wake on LAN" feature that can allow an attacker to gain access even if the device is "asleep."
#CoSoSec