from Dean:
>
>> we have not
>> seen proof of any of the "seems obvious"
>> assertions.
>>
>

from Jim:
>
>And THERE is the crux of this whole debate.
>
>This question has been discussed and discussed and discussed -
>for many years --- on many different lists.
>There have been theories, and suppositions, and conjectures GALORE
>but.... no one has ever produced any PROOF to support or
>validate either viewpoint.

Dean's comment:

I know that you are frustrated with this discussion because it
will go nowhere, but there is evidence to support the potential
problem of turning on and off a computer, and I will bet that
you will remember it.

About fifteen years ago, Apple Computer brought out  a new model
(the "Lisa", I think) that had many problems.  One of the problems
that I recall was that the motherboard heated and flexed somewhat.
This happened repeatedly and on many computers some of the
chips would eventually work their way loose.

I would imagine that traces might break and solder joints might come
loose under the same circumstances.  (board flexing)

But, the real, clear danger from leaving a computer on all the time
still remains the increased exposure to power line surges, and
we have heard people give anecdotal evidence to that danger
in this list just a few months ago.

Dean Kukral