Power consumption (was: free to good home, 19" CRT)

[Randy Edwards]

 > Compared to the cost of a few hundred bucks for a nice new panel display,
 > that doesn't exactly blow me away.  Of course, there are other 
 > factors in a panel, including physical space savings and waste heat [...]

   Your and Paul's analysis of the costs of the monitor are spot-on -- it's 
what we geeks do best.  This sort of micro cost analysis is fairly easy.

   But if one injects energy/social/political/environmental factors into the 
equation things quickly become less black-and-white and also potentially more 
important.

   For example, today an increasing number of people -- economists, oil 
industry analysts, and (what a shocker!) even a rare politician -- are 
convinced that we're in or near the age of Peak Oil (aka Hubbert's Peak; the 
world's historical peak of oil production).  We've seen oil prices go up more 
than 25% in less than three months and fifty per cent over the last year; 
400% since 1999.  Some predict a doubling of the price of oil in the near 
future.  These oil prices directly impact electricity prices.

   Forget the environmental concerns, if we look at just the economic aspect 
energy prices will be increasing dramatically and are very unlikely to ever 
come down.  Since the US has no energy program other than to take military 
control of Mid East and Caspian Basin oil supplies (a strategy that isn't 
going so well), there are more dark clouds on the horizon.

   As such, purchasing an appliance that saves over 50% of energy compared to 
its equivalent is a wise investment and easily trumps a cost-benefit analysis 
done exclusively on today's energy prices.

 Regards,
 .
 Randy

-- 
"Fascism could better be called 'corporatism', for it is merely the merging of 
state power with corporate power." -- Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator 
who "invented" fascism