Why not just use windows power management?

Windows power management does allow you to turn off the display, spin down the hard drive, and standby the processor after an idle period. But it provides very limited ability to define what constitutes "idle". For most desktop systems, if you set this idle time to more than 2 minutes the machine never goes into standby. But 2 minutes is way too short a time, so it never goes into standby.

Should I install this on my laptop?

Laptop power consumption is typically lower than that of desktops and the power management tools work better. However, when we use them at our desk we ususally have them connect to a power adapter and "always on". The Auto ShutDown Manager configuration allows you to harvest idle savings even when it is plugged in. (You will also find that it has some feature that make it do what you want the rest of time, for example to stay active if you are running powerpoint whether you happen to be plugged in or not.) So, Yes, it makes sense to install it on laptops too.

Can I tell how much I've saved?

The display at the bottom of the Auto ShutDown Manager window shows an estimate in dollars, electricity (kWh) and carbon emissions (lbs CO2). The Green Soda page shows the real metering of the whole building, so as more of us do more to reduce demand, we will be able to see that needle drop. We will also be putting together an aggregate picture of how much we are saving by this initiative.

How does it know how much power my machine uses when active?

It doesn't, but you can help with that. It has constants on the Protocol tab for active power, standby power, and price per kwh. The default configuration sets these to typical values. If you would like to know exactly what your machine uses, you can particpate in our AC metering (ACme) project. Or you can locate your configuration in the table below. (If you have a configuration that doesn't appear there, please add it.)

Is this a "managed" or "stand alone" power management solution?

The same tool can operate in either mode. To simplify installation and maintenance, and to provide collective monitoring, we are running it in managed mode. This is what is typically described as an Enterprise Solution. But most of the Enterprise Solutions expect everybody to be operating exactly according to the IT configuration. The setup we are using reflects our much more decentralized, user-oriented style of system administration.

Can I set my own personal settings?

Certainly. The configuration provided by the server just provides a convenient starting point. There is a rich set up configuration options provided by the application. You can set them as you like. For example, you may have particular applications that, when running, should prevent your machine from going into standby even if it otherwise is idle. With the application running, go to the Applications tab of the AutoShutdownManager. You'll see the application in the box on the right. Add it to the set of applications that prevent shutdown.

Why does AutoShutDown Manager ask for a password when I try to open it up?

You can simply press continue and bypass the password screen.

Can a group of users with similar needs have a specific default configuration?

Yes, this tool supports groups of users, so we could configure administration, instruction and research all differently, for example. We can also use this for test groups.

How is this tool different from the freeware and commercial products out there?

Most of the tools define idle either in terms of keystrokes, CPU utilization, or schedule. Some let you pick among these. Our experience is that those capabilities are insufficient. The machine goes into standby when you don't want it to and fails to go into standby when you do. AutoShutDown seems to be unique in its a approach. It is ALWAYS trying to drop the machine into standby but it has a rich set of events, any combination of which can keep it active for a little longer. On the Timer tab you can see the reason that it currently isn't in standby.