Should I leave my computer on or turn it off?

Years ago, many of us learned to shut our computer down when we were not using it.  But, is that still the best practice today?

Yes and no.

I've just finished reading a lengthy article on this topic because every once in awhile this question comes up in a class discussion.

A line graph showing failure rates for computers resembles the shape of a bathtub:  equipment failures are high when a computer is new and again at the end of its' life.  During its' "teenage" and  "adult years" computer failure is very low.

So, the recommendations for computers todayare:

1) Since failure rates can be high on new computers, during the warranty period of a new computer you can/should turn it off when not in use. This speeds the "aging process" and allows any equipment failures to occur while under warranty.

2)  During the "teenage and adult years" of a computer, it is safe to leave a computer onand this will reduce wear and tear on components.

3)  At the end of a computer's life, most equipment failures occur during the on/off cycle, so it is recommended to leave it on.

Two caveats: 
1) If you have updates set to install upon shutdown and now decide that you are going to leave your computer on, you will want to change that setting to "automatically update".  It is imperative that you install updates as they become available.

2) Remember to always protect your computer by plugging it into a surge protector (this may need to be a topic for another week).  :-)

What about tablets and phones? I leave all my devices (computer, iPad and iPhone) on 24/7, but I do occasionally shutdown/restart them because I feel like it improves their operating speed.