Computer Usage opinions

I have a few questions that I'd like some opinions on plz. TIA!

1. Is it better to leave the computer on ALL day rather than to turn it off/on two or three times a day?

2. I have a 3rd party firewall but I also have Windows firewall enabled. Is that ok to have both on?

Anymore opinions on the firewall question?

TIA!

I would definitely not turn it on and off several times a day.  Almost Evil indicated that for most schedules, it's a wash between energy costs and hardware wear and that is very true.  CM had a good point with dust collecting inside if it is left on constantly.

I know people who shut down religiously when their computer will be idle for more than 2 hours and I know people that leave 'em on 24/7.  In the cases I know personally about, it seems the experienced users (techs and people with servers and such) are the ones that leave them on and the people that are reletavely inexperienced are the ones that can't stand to leave them running.

With my systems, I usually leave them on depending on my mood. I sometimes I turn them off if I'm going to be away or before I go to bed.  If there is an upgrade or an install where the installer prompts me to restart, I like to wait until later to reboot and will do the shutdown it is asking for when I won't be using it for a while and I can just leave it off.

I'd like to know the Kw/hr my systems use except it being summer and with the AC on it would be difficult to get a good number from the meter.  Maybe if I think of it in the fall when we go for a few weeks without HVAC, I can check.