tdebase/doc/kcontrol/energy/index.docbook

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.2-Based Variant V1.1//EN"
"dtd/kdex.dtd" [
<!ENTITY % addindex "IGNORE">
<!ENTITY % English "INCLUDE" > <!-- change language only here -->
]>

<article lang="&language;">
<articleinfo>

<authorgroup>
<author>&Mike.McBride; &Mike.McBride.mail;</author>
<!-- TRANS:ROLES_OF_TRANSLATORS -->
</authorgroup>

<date>2002-02-12</date>
<releaseinfo>3.00.00</releaseinfo>

<keywordset>
<keyword>KDE</keyword>
<keyword>KControl</keyword>
<keyword>energy</keyword>
</keywordset>
</articleinfo>

<sect1 id="energy">
<title>Energy</title>

<sect2 id="energy-intro">
<title>Introduction</title>

<para>This module is useful for any computer having a monitor labeled
Energy Star Compliant.  (Energy Star Compliant equipment is equipment
that can be configured to automatically enter a power saving mode when
appropriate, without human intervention.)</para>

<tip><para>Energy Star Compliance can be applied to nearly any
electrical device.  This module, however, does not spin down hard
drives, does not shutdown printers, &etc; These settings only affect
the behavior of your monitor.</para>

<para>For information on shutting down components on a laptop, do not
use this module.  Instead, install tdeutils, and refer to the module
entitled <ulink url="help://kcontrol/powerctrl/index.html">Laptop
Power Control Center</ulink>, for details.</para></tip>

<para>In the case of computer monitors, the computer can control the
monitor, switching it between four states: On, Standby, Suspend, and
Off.</para>

<note><para>The following list of states is a generalization, and you
may find that your monitor will differ from the descriptions
below.</para></note>

<para><quote>ON</quote> is the normal operation of your monitor while you are using
it.</para>

<para><quote>STANDBY</quote> is usually a minor power saving level.
This setting usually involves blanking the screen, and not firing the
electron gun, but keeping the electron gun <quote>energized</quote>
and ready to go. When you need to use the monitor again, the monitor
will come back on very quickly.</para>

<para><quote>SUSPEND</quote> is a very low power mode alternative.  
With most monitors the screen is blanked, the electron
gun is shut down and the magnets that control the electron gun are
powered down.  While the power saving is substantial, to reactivate
the monitor may take up to 10-15 seconds.  The computer should always
be able to return the monitor to On or Standby while in suspend
mode.</para>

<para><quote>OFF</quote>, usually means just that.  The computer
monitor is turned off.  This usually means that the computer will not
be able to turn the monitor back on by itself.  Obviously, this keeps
power consumption to a bare minimum (zero).</para>

</sect2>
<sect2 id="energy-use">
<title>Use</title>

<para>Using this module is very simple:</para>

<para>If your monitor is Energy Star Compliant, then you should put a
mark in the check box labeled <guilabel>Enable Display Energy
Saving</guilabel>.  This will activate the energy saving
commands.</para>

<para>The next three slider bars, tell the computer how many minutes of
inactivity before automatically switching to a new state.  These numbers
can be adjusted with either the sliders, or the spin boxes.</para>

<note><para>These times are not additive, but all start counting at
zero.</para> 

<para>As an example:</para> 

<para>If you set the Standby Mode to 10 minutes, the Suspend mode to 20
minutes, and the Power off at 30 minutes, and you stop using your
computer at 9:00, then the monitor will:</para> <para>Enter Standby mode
at 9:10, enter Suspend mode at 9:20, and shut the power off at
9:30.</para></note>

<para>When you are happy with the settings, click
<guibutton>OK</guibutton>.</para>

</sect2>

</sect1>

</article>