[kwlug-disc] [OT] linux server power

[Unsolicited]

On Sat, January 29, 2011 8:37 am, Insurance Squared Inc. wrote:
> The 10c per KWH was what the electrician used.  And if his high estimate
> of $30/month is reasonable, and we drop down to $7 a month electrical
> cost with lower hardware, and I sell the old equipment, payback is in
> less than a year.

My $0.06/kWh is based on looking at my bill. That's more than 3rd tier of
$0.059 rounded up. Presumably everyone can look at their electrical bill
to be a bit more accurate.

> How can I afford NOT to buy new computers?  :).

The missing factor in all of this discussion is people's time.

What's your time worth?

Any payback period gets blown into unreasonableness as soon as you factor
that in.

For example, Paul's turning off of that one computer would save $0.65 per
month. Add in how much time it takes him to mind it, how much time it took
him to make these determinations, how much time it takes, and the cost
thereof, to wait for it to come up when he wants to go use it, and it
stops being cost effective.

Add in the opportunity cost of that time, be it another hour's billing
time, helping out a user, the benefits of spending time with the wife
and/or relaxing, or going for a walk, and the benefits of focusing on this
particular area diminish extraordinarily.

Let's not allow the environmental doomsdayers to suck us into their
irrational black hole.

Which is not to say their point is not valid, merely that these two
computers are not where the biggest benefit for your time spent lies.

Driving less will likely garner greater results. As would eating
healthier. Turn out that light. Switch to lower wattage fluorescent bulbs.

To JJ's point, put on another sweater, and reduce the power consumption of
that furnace 24x7 fan use.

For the time spent, particularly in a home, even if a business, bigger
benefits lie somewhere else other than computers.

In an enterprise of a 1,000 computers, where the time spent acquiring the
necessary expertise, and going through the political (people meeting and
effecting) time spent, can be leverage over many computers, it's more
likely worth it.

But not in the home by one person against the easy and visible target of
the 'computer'.

That's also not to say that we shouldn't all be a little smarter and aware
when we acquire and implement solutions or replacements. Just that
replacing things 'before their time' ... well, the computer is probably
not where the focus should be for maximizing the desired intent, for the
time spent.