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Google - Now saving power

Waka LakaWaka Laka If found, please return to [Doodle Thread].Takananobaba, Tokyo.Registered User regular
edited August 2007 in Games and Technology
Interesting!

"…If Google had a black screen, taking in account the huge number of page views, according to calculations, 750 mega watts/hour per year would be saved."

In response Google created a black version of its search engine, called Blackle , with the exact same functions as the white version, but obviously with lower energy consumption:

www.blackle.com

Update - "Call Bullshit" on the claim links.

Less GIGAWATTS?

"The man" says "NO!"

More or less? Electroconfusion.

Waka Laka on
· Agree Awesome
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Posts

  • EchoEcho Per Aspera Ad Inferi Super Moderator, Moderator mod
    edited August 2007
    I'm kinda unconvinced about the power saving arguments here.

    Steam (wishlist) » bloggy stuff » interestin' stuff

    Spare Scrolls for trade
    · Agree Awesome
  • MerovingiMerovingi
    edited August 2007
    Hah, that's pretty cool. It's also easier on the eyes.

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    · Agree Awesome
  • LewiePLewieP Registered User
    edited August 2007
    Oh man. That's wonderful.

    I had seen blackle before via StumbleUpon, but did not know the reason for it.

    SavyGamer.co.uk / Rock Paper Shotgun / Twitter
    · Agree Awesome
  • FremFrem Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    It's... It's not made by Google.


    steam_sig.png
    Blog | Twitter | Free games | Unmaintained backloggery
    · Agree Awesome
  • JasconiusJasconius bird internet Saint Petersburg RussiaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I don't think MegaWatts are that much in context no?

    · Agree Awesome
  • SilentCoconutSilentCoconut Registered User
    edited August 2007
    Here's the blog post that actually speculates that a black google page would save 750 megawatt hours per year.

    · Agree Awesome
  • agoajagoaj Play It Loud! Get N Or Get OutRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Doesn't affect LCD power consumption.
    In fact, it might be more.

    ad6bLCH.png
    · Agree Awesome
  • scootchscootch Registered User
    edited August 2007
    Heap media isn't google.. is it?

    TF2 stats
    PSN: super_emu
    Xbox360 Gamertag: Emuchop
    · Agree Awesome
  • Waka LakaWaka Laka If found, please return to [Doodle Thread]. Takananobaba, Tokyo.Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    agoaj wrote: »
    Doesn't affect LCD power consumption.
    In fact, it might be more.

    More info

    · Agree Awesome
  • FremFrem Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Hmm. Wikipedia turns up these pages, but I'm sure I've read something about the energy saving claims elsewhere.


    steam_sig.png
    Blog | Twitter | Free games | Unmaintained backloggery
    · Agree Awesome
  • rayofashrayofash Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Waka Laka wrote: »
    Interesting!

    "…If Google had a black screen, taking in account the huge number of page views, according to calculations, 750 mega watts/hour per year would be saved."

    In response Google created a black version of its search engine, called Blackle , with the exact same functions as the white version, but obviously with lower energy consumption:

    www.blackle.com

    Source?

    Also, that site is not made by Google.

    · Agree Awesome
  • LegacyLegacy Registered User, ClubPA
    edited August 2007
    That's racist!

    *This space for rent.*
    · Agree Awesome
  • agoajagoaj Play It Loud! Get N Or Get OutRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Waka Laka wrote: »
    agoaj wrote: »
    Doesn't affect LCD power consumption.
    In fact, it might be more.

    More info

    LCD has a lamp on behind the screen. In front of that are the LCD's which filter the color to what you see. The lamp is always on in order to display any image. I imagine that it takes more power to set the pixel to block all light to make black and it would to do all white and not block it.

    ad6bLCH.png
    · Agree Awesome
  • JasconiusJasconius bird internet Saint Petersburg RussiaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    If I had shorter hair I would walk faster.

    · Agree Awesome
  • scootchscootch Registered User
    edited August 2007
    Waka Laka wrote: »
    agoaj wrote: »
    Doesn't affect LCD power consumption.
    In fact, it might be more.

    More info

    CRT gets black by turning off,
    LCD does not do this.
    edit:I am slow

    TF2 stats
    PSN: super_emu
    Xbox360 Gamertag: Emuchop
    · Agree Awesome
  • JasconiusJasconius bird internet Saint Petersburg RussiaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    scootch wrote: »
    Waka Laka wrote: »
    agoaj wrote: »
    Doesn't affect LCD power consumption.
    In fact, it might be more.

    More info

    CRT gets black by turning off,
    LCD does not do this.

    I don't think so. "Off" black on a CRT is distinct from display black. It still sends rays I believe, because "black" is not actually black, just a very very very dark combination of colors.

    · Agree Awesome
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    That would only save power on CRTs, which are rapidly being replaced by LCDs everywhere. LCD's don't save any power by having some pixels dark.

    edit: beatd.

    vvvvvv-dithw.png
    · Agree Awesome
  • LewiePLewieP Registered User
    edited August 2007
    Jasconius wrote: »
    If I had shorter hair I would walk faster.

    but having a hair cut more often uses more power.

    E F F I C I E N C Y P A R A D O X

    SavyGamer.co.uk / Rock Paper Shotgun / Twitter
    · Agree Awesome
  • Waka LakaWaka Laka If found, please return to [Doodle Thread]. Takananobaba, Tokyo.Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    rayofash wrote: »
    Waka Laka wrote: »
    Interesting!

    rant!

    www.blackle.com

    Source?

    Also, that site is not made by Google.

    My boss sent it to me. Fuck knows where he got it from.

    · Agree Awesome
  • JasconiusJasconius bird internet Saint Petersburg RussiaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    LewieP wrote: »
    Jasconius wrote: »
    If I had shorter hair I would walk faster.

    but having a hair cut more often uses more power.

    E F F I C I E N C Y P A R A D O X

    Well, if we are going for a strict conservation of energy, I should commit suicide right now. Then donate my body to be tossed into a coal furnace at a power plant.

    Right?

    But maybe driving my body there would take more energy.

    Maybe all the investigation of my death would take more energy then I would expand in a lifetime...

    WILL I DREAM?

    · Agree Awesome
  • ÆthelredÆthelred Registered User
    edited August 2007
    Displaying black on LCDs takes more power, not less. And LCD penetration is at something like 75% now. I heard about this site a while ago and it fails, hard.

    pokes: 1505 8032 8399
    · Agree Awesome
  • rayofashrayofash Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Even the article says it:
    the shift to a black background [on a CRT monitor! mjo] will save a total of 15 (74-59) watts.

    The article also says that it's estimated that only 25% of the monitors in the world are CRT.

    So what on earth is the point of this?

    · Agree Awesome
  • JasconiusJasconius bird internet Saint Petersburg RussiaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    rayofash wrote: »
    Even the article says it:
    the shift to a black background [on a CRT monitor! mjo] will save a total of 15 (74-59) watts.

    The article also says that it's estimated that only 25% of the monitors in the world are CRT.

    So what on earth is the point of this?

    advertising

    · Agree Awesome
  • rayofashrayofash Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    The Roberson study found that LCD monitors saved up to 3W by switching from a white to a black screen, and in no case did any of the LCD monitors use more energy displaying black than white. Recently, several informal studies have been done, with results ranging from a 2W reduction when displaying Blackle vs Google on an IBM Thinkvision LCD, to zero, up to a 1W increase.

    · Agree Awesome
  • Waka LakaWaka Laka If found, please return to [Doodle Thread]. Takananobaba, Tokyo.Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Heres an article that supports it, but that whole CRT monitor thing sounds more plausable.

    Does a black screen save electricity?

    · Agree Awesome
  • JasconiusJasconius bird internet Saint Petersburg RussiaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I doubt their claim of "megawatts" is all. We're talking about a site that most people spend about 10 seconds on per visit.

    · Agree Awesome
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    rayofash wrote: »
    The Roberson study found that LCD monitors saved up to 3W by switching from a white to a black screen, and in no case did any of the LCD monitors use more energy displaying black than white. Recently, several informal studies have been done, with results ranging from a 2W reduction when displaying Blackle vs Google on an IBM Thinkvision LCD, to zero, up to a 1W increase.

    I don't believe it when a far more well-defined study using more than one monitor shows an increase in LCD power consumption on a black screen.

    vvvvvv-dithw.png
    · Agree Awesome
  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    LewieP wrote: »
    Jasconius wrote: »
    If I had shorter hair I would walk faster.

    but having a hair cut more often uses more power.

    E F F I C I E N C Y P A R A D O X

    Actually, that means that if you cut your hair while walking, you achieve overunity. Think about it, man, and it'll blow your mind!

    I have to say that "Blackle" sounds like a subject of a joke by a bad stand-up comedian. You know, something about how it'll only show sites about watermelon and welfare.

    steam_sig.png
    IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
    · Agree Awesome
  • Waka LakaWaka Laka If found, please return to [Doodle Thread]. Takananobaba, Tokyo.Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Well I'm gald this has been cleared up amidst much sarcasm and humor. Better to clear things up fast than really believe it works.

    · Agree Awesome
  • ZekZek Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Never, ever, ever going to happen.

    · Agree Awesome
  • KrizKriz Registered User
    edited August 2007
    when asked why they were wasting such massive amounts of color-based-energy, Google responded thusly:

    "We run part of the Googleplex on solar power, have some of our employees drive plug-in electric hybrid cars while we shuttle the rest on a biodiesel bus, buy carbon credits to offset the rest, and you people think changing the color on our homepage is going to make any difference?

    No, fuck you, goodbye."
    Spoiler:

    · Agree Awesome
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    LewieP wrote: »
    Jasconius wrote: »
    If I had shorter hair I would walk faster.

    but having a hair cut more often uses more power.

    E F F I C I E N C Y P A R A D O X

    Actually, that means that if you cut your hair while walking, you achieve overunity. Think about it, man, and it'll blow your mind!

    I have to say that "Blackle" sounds like a subject of a joke by a bad stand-up comedian. You know, something about how it'll only show sites about watermelon and welfare.

    Blackle, it is like Snapple except aimed at blacks. In fact, the only difference between them are the advertising and packaging.

    · Agree Awesome
  • Marty81Marty81 Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Wouldn't it be more efficient to install Firefox and use the built-in google search area, rather than actually going through www.google.com?

    · Agree Awesome
  • LewiePLewieP Registered User
    edited August 2007
    Marty81 wrote: »
    Wouldn't it be more efficient to install Firefox and use the built-in google search area, rather than actually going through www.google.com?
    :^::^:

    Although IE7 'synthesized and integrated' this feature from Firefox.

    SavyGamer.co.uk / Rock Paper Shotgun / Twitter
    · Agree Awesome
  • JasconiusJasconius bird internet Saint Petersburg RussiaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    titmouse wrote: »
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    LewieP wrote: »
    Jasconius wrote: »
    If I had shorter hair I would walk faster.

    but having a hair cut more often uses more power.

    E F F I C I E N C Y P A R A D O X

    Actually, that means that if you cut your hair while walking, you achieve overunity. Think about it, man, and it'll blow your mind!

    I have to say that "Blackle" sounds like a subject of a joke by a bad stand-up comedian. You know, something about how it'll only show sites about watermelon and welfare.

    Blackle, it is like Snapple except aimed at blacks. In fact, the only difference between them are the advertising and packaging.

    I don't think that even makes sense.

    · Agree Awesome
  • Waka LakaWaka Laka If found, please return to [Doodle Thread]. Takananobaba, Tokyo.Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    ***Updated the main post with links to counter the original claim***

    Thanks for the links guys.

    · Agree Awesome
  • IShallRiseAgainIShallRiseAgain Registered User
    edited August 2007
    Jasconius wrote: »
    rayofash wrote: »
    Even the article says it:
    the shift to a black background [on a CRT monitor! mjo] will save a total of 15 (74-59) watts.

    The article also says that it's estimated that only 25% of the monitors in the world are CRT.

    So what on earth is the point of this?

    advertising

    A good old fashion "I'm saving the world" ego boost might be a factor too.

    Alador239.png
    · Agree Awesome
  • KungFuKungFu Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    rayofash wrote: »
    The article also says that it's estimated that only 25% of the monitors in the world are CRT.

    I highly doubt that.

    Theft 4 Bread
    · Agree Awesome
  • LewiePLewieP Registered User
    edited August 2007
    KungFu wrote: »
    rayofash wrote: »
    The article also says that it's estimated that only 25% of the monitors in the world are CRT.

    I highly doubt that.
    It wouldn't shock me if a large proportion of in use CRT monitors aren't hooked up to the internet.

    SavyGamer.co.uk / Rock Paper Shotgun / Twitter
    · Agree Awesome
  • KungFuKungFu Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I'd bet CRT monitors used by internet users still outnumber LCD users.

    Theft 4 Bread
    · Agree Awesome
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