Starting to Work at the Terminal

Sit in front of your display (also known as a terminal, CRT, display, or VDT).

Your display and computer should always be left on. Some screens darken automatically after a while (these systems have a screen saver) and others may need to have the brightness and contrast knobs turned down. First, try pressing any key (it is best to use a key like [SHIFT] or move the mouse). If you do not see anything on the screen, then turn both the brightness and contrast control knobs. If the terminal is not on, you will need to turn it on.

SSI®Note: Leaving your equipment on will cause your system to require fewer repairs. Do not worry about the computer using too much electricity. The computer and peripherals draw very little power.

This does not apply if you are not going to use the computer for many hours. In that case you may want to turn it off. Many people set a schedule so the computers does an automatic backup at 1am and a virus check at 2am, etc. If you depend on your computer to do important work, you should think about various utility programs that will keep it in good running condition and possibly tell you of a potential problem before you lose any data.