http://live.pirillo.com/ – Is it safe to leave my computer on at night? Back in the old days, it used to be a bad to keep your computer on at night because there was no good desktop power management solution. Now, in modern times, you can keep your computer on at night with less risk of hardware failure, and a lower electricity bill thanks to much improved power management solutions.

Microsoft has the onNow Power Managed PC:

OnNow design ensures that PCs are instantly accessible to users when needed, while remaining silent and consuming the least possible power when not actively working. In earlier laptop designs, designers tried to provide power management through BIOS control of devices. This resulted in problems such as delays while hard disks spin up, screens going blank during presentations, and low battery life due to inappropriate device usage. And previously, the only power management for desktop PCs was the power switch.

Advances in Microsoft Windows operating systems are built on technologies defined in the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) Specification and other industry standards. With PCs designed to work with Windows power management, including good BIOS and device implementations, users can realize great power savings and take advantage of new PC usage scenarios that werent previously possible.