Computer Hope

Other => Other => Topic started by: Computer Hope Admin on May 01, 2010, 01:08:29 AM

Title: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: Computer Hope Admin on May 01, 2010, 01:08:29 AM
For the month of May we thought it would be interesting to see how much time you spend offline when on your computer. With the Internet and other online activities being the most common activities while on a computer and broadband with connections always active, how much time are you offline? Feel free to talk about why you go offline, what you do while offline, why you stay offline, etc.

All past monthly polls and results can also be found on the Computer Hope poll page (http://www.computerhope.com/polls.htm).

Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: Carbon Dudeoxide on May 01, 2010, 04:15:13 AM
Unless I'm on wireless and without my charger, I'm always online - either on IM, or simply surfing.

What about you, Nathan?
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: CBMatt on May 01, 2010, 05:43:44 AM
Well, technically, I am always online because I have an always-on connection.  I turn off the modem when I go to bed and I don't have to turn it back on, but my wife usually already has it on by the time I start my computer back up.  But for what it's worth, I do plenty of things that don't require a connection; I often get caught up in a game of Mole Control or Plants Vs. Zombies.  And I do a lot of writing for "work" and cataloging because I'm a nerd.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: Calum on May 01, 2010, 06:14:06 AM
Well, technically, I am always online because I have an always-on connection.
Same for me.
I do things which don't involve a connection to the internet, such as playing single player games ... other than that I think all my computer usage involves an internet connection.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: soybean on May 01, 2010, 06:31:48 AM
Advancing from dial-up Internet service to DSL years ago basically resulted in always being online while using the computer.  However, my first DSL service worked different than my later service.  I can't recall the details now - had something to do with PPOE - but, with the first DSL service, I had to install software that basically emulated connecting and disconnecting in a manner similar to dial-up.  So, even though I could have been online continuously, I usually was not.  Later, when the DSL service changed to the way it currently works, I'm connected as soon as I start the computer and always online.  And, that's the typical mode of operation for me now.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: Computer Hope Admin on May 01, 2010, 06:55:23 AM
What about you, Nathan?

I voted "Never", like most I'm assuming I too am online and active 24/7, usually have chatbots going all the time and when I'm working I'm usually streaming some form of online radio (usually Pandora).
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: soybean on May 01, 2010, 07:07:27 AM
I voted "Never", like most I'm assuming I too am online and active 24/7, usually have chatbots going all the time and when I'm working I'm usually streaming some form of online radio (usually Pandora).

You seem to be implying a different definition of "being online" here.  If you mean that the computer user constantly has some Internet activity going on, then I would have voted differently.  Just because I have a continuous Internet connection does not mean I always have some data flowing in or out over my Internet connection.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: Carbon Dudeoxide on May 01, 2010, 07:42:11 AM
Congrats on the 10k mark, Soybean ;)
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: soybean on May 01, 2010, 07:51:28 AM
Thanks, CD.  :)  The post counter actually hit 10K when I posted at  http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,104062.0.html. 
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: patio on May 01, 2010, 07:53:25 AM
Congrats Soybean ! !

Cake for everyone ! !

 ;D
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: soybean on May 01, 2010, 08:08:41 AM
Absolutely!  Hope a fruity one will do. 

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y256/farmpond/forums/CAKEFRUI2.jpg)

Of course, 10K pales in comparison to your actual count, which must be some multiple of 10K.  As I recall, you had your count reset to 0 at least twice.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: BC_Programmer on May 01, 2010, 10:43:11 AM
I came to answer the poll.

I stay for the cake.

 ;D

Every few months I have a few hours of complete loss of connectivity on the ISP side (you'd think this might be a problem, but it's at around 2-4 AM). How much it affects me depends on what I was doing at the time- several times I've been actively working on my site, and that caused some problems. If I'm working on one of my desktop applications (which I could work on just as well without a connection) I simply lose the resource of the internet to search for information, which isn't as bad as it might sound- I rarely need to look much up these days unless I'm working on a set of API functions I haven't dealt with before. And when I do, I have the vastly under-estimated off-line MSDN library installation.

This brings me to an interesting phase- for about 2 years I didn't have any internet connection at all. the April 2000 MSDN library essentially became my "Internet". if I had a curiousity, I'd search the library. There are a LOT of gems of information and content in there.

It got to the point where I was so eager for information I just paged through the KB articles. I'm sure that has come in handy more then once.

P.S: I voted never, though, because a periodic and unintentional outage in service hardly counts :P Besides, my laptop is almost always running F&H, which requires a connection.


Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: mle on May 07, 2010, 03:11:15 PM
I voted never. I'm rarely not using the internet in some form. I either have music streaming sites or Windows Live Messenger open most of the time, whatever I'm doing.

It's weird because I never used to use the internet at all but now I'm on there nearly all the time I'm on the computer.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: overthehill on May 08, 2010, 10:39:36 AM
Although my connection is always on, I chose 1-5 hrs. This time is spent mainly on such things as sorting music, playing a few offline games, and fooling around in PowerPoint.  And, when I include running my anti-malware, anti-virus etc. programs, it probably averages out to somewhere around 2-3 hrs. per day.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: Starwind51 on May 26, 2010, 10:37:27 AM
I don't necessarily go online first thing after turning on my computer, but once I do go online I tend to keep it open no matter what else I'm doing because at a moment's notice I may NEED to know something.  I capitalize the word because "need" is more like a strong want, rather than an actual need.

However, when I stopped my internet service last summer for what was supposed to be a couple of days and then realized it was going to be a lot longer, I went out and bought a Motorola Karma because my Moto Razr V3 had tortuously slow internet.  I use my phone far more for internet than anything else (besides checking the time).  Because, when you NEED to know, you Need to know.   :D
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: johngetter on May 31, 2010, 09:32:29 PM
Better question would be how much time is spent online.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: BC_Programmer on May 31, 2010, 11:09:28 PM
Better question would be how much time is spent online.

No. that is the same question, just phrased differently.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: overthehill on May 31, 2010, 11:19:55 PM
Either way, with less than an hour left, it's almost time for a new poll. ;)
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: blackrainbow on June 01, 2010, 02:51:47 AM
the only time im actualy off line is when im sleeping :) i use wifi when im out, and moblie internet :) why is been online so addictive ?
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: overthehill on June 01, 2010, 08:00:01 AM
For some of us ,two reasons are; Folding and Pulsing.
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: Cityscape on June 01, 2010, 12:14:36 PM
Is there not a June poll this month or is it late?

Here it is 11:15 am June 1st and I see no new poll.  ::)  ;D
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: kpac on June 01, 2010, 12:53:45 PM
Well it's not as if they're automatically created...
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: Cityscape on June 01, 2010, 03:03:03 PM
Well it's not as if they're automatically created...
hmm...okay good point.  8)
Title: Re: May monthly poll - How much of your time on the computer is offline?
Post by: Computer Hope Admin on June 01, 2010, 05:04:16 PM
Is there not a June poll this month or is it late?

Here it is 11:15 am June 1st and I see no new poll.  ::)  ;D

New poll created (http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,105553.0.html). Memorial day on the last day of the month messed me up. ;)