Newbie help: how to switch off a computer

[Thomas Kaiser]

Philippe Landau wrote:
>> -void- wrote:
>>
>>> So when you get back from your ride you just turn the key and step 
>>> off the bike?
>>>
>>> Something tells me you first bring it to a complete stop and you also
>>> put the kickstand down or whatever you use to keep the bike from
>>> pitching to the ground on its side.
>>
>>
>> This is part of the ride. Like closing an application before shutdown :-)
> 
> this of course is not necessary.
> it's a precondition of a beautiful operating system
> that you can always exit everything painlessly.
> 
>>> What if they hit the switch on the back of the unit on the power
>>> supply?  Or perhaps they have all their stuff on a power strip so they
>>> can "turn everything off" in one shot.  "yep, done reading this
>>> email... lemme just turn off my 'puter.  Hmmm I hope that defrag thing
>>> wasn't important".
>>
>>
>> The hardware shall be able to handle this. I just want to turn off my 
>> box.
> 
> 
> there is a confusion going on here:
> 
> most computers have a power switch on the front side,
> which is just closing an electric circuit on the motherboard
> initiating power-down procedures when pressed while running.
> 
> and there is an electric power switch usually on the
> power supply/transformer which just cuts off electricity.
> (in some models the fan of the power supply will continue running
> for a few minutes and then shut down too.)
> this switch should only be turned off when power unit
> is already on standby, or as a last resort.
As I wrote, the hardware shall take care of this. If I just cut the 
power there must be a battery or something similar which keeps power as 
long as the shutdown of the box last.
> 
> good we have both options, don't you think ?
Why? Because the OS freezes and this is your only option to bring the 
box back to work again?
If your new car just freezes, you bring it back and let it repaired! Why 
don't do the same thing with a OS (at least if you bought it). Linux is 
free, so you are on your owne. But the communitiy is great, you will 
find some help.

Thomas