Computers can sleep, hibernate, or shut down. Sleep allows you
to quickly resume using your laptop at the cost of some
electricity. Hibernate is like shutting down your computer, but
you can still resume working where you left off. There’s no
right answer in all situations. Some people leave their
computers running 24/7, while others shut down computers the
moment they step away. Each of these options has its advantages
and disadvantages. Image Credit: DeclanTM on Flickr Shut Down
vs. Sleep vs. Hibernate Each of the three power-down states
appears to shut off your computer, but they all work
differently. - Shut Down: This is the power-off state most of us
are familiar with. When you shut down your computer, all your
open programs close and the computer shuts down your operating
system. A computer that’s shut down uses almost no power.
However, when you want to use your computer again, you’ll have
to turn it on and go through the typical boot-up process,
waiting for your hardware to initialize and startup prog