International Shutdown Day is here -- you still with us?

Hey, we know the average geek couldn't care less about a few off-kilter maniacs demanding that we all hit the kill switch on March 24th to hype up their questionable agenda, but just to make sure no one out there actually caved to the inadmissible requests, we're requesting our own uprising. Yes, International Shutdown Day is finally upon us, and while its clear that we fall on the rebellious side of the bunch, let's just ponder why this day was an absolutely dreadful idea from the start. If you enjoy the taken-for-granted luxuries in life such as functioning stoplights, NCAA March Madness, open retailers, free flowing communications, carelessly Photoshopping, penning an email, and say, browsing Engadget, then it's fairly safe to say you'd be having one lousy Saturday if ISD was widely accepted. Still, we've no qualms with operating in a much greener fashion, but considering that the protesters' website is actually up and running on a power-sucking machine as we speak, it makes you wonder who the real hypocrites are, no?

[farfisa @ Mar 24th 2007 2:24PM]

Yeah, screw those guys!

[MarWi @ Mar 24th 2007 2:28PM]

Haha. Love IT ! Keep up the good work.

[Jean-Michel Decombe @ Mar 24th 2007 2:31PM]

I didn't realize it was Let's-Pretend-Progress-Does-Not-Happen Day. Cool! Now what?

[Chip @ Mar 24th 2007 2:32PM]

Why is the shutdownday.org website even responding? Shouldn't they have shut that down too?

[Dilbert @ Mar 24th 2007 5:45PM]

Of course their site is responding! If it was down, how would you send a Paypal donation from your TURNED-OFF computer?.....Wait, what? Oh right, it must also be irony day! :D :P

[Matt @ Mar 24th 2007 2:34PM]

Running two, no wait, THREE computers, an Xbox 360 and folding on my PS3. TAKE THAT!

[Brian @ Mar 24th 2007 2:38PM]

oops...

[chuuchdizzle @ Mar 24th 2007 2:41PM]

god i love machines, and screw the naysayers

[Jeffrey @ Mar 24th 2007 2:44PM]

DUDE I HAVE TO GET TO LVL 40 IN WoW, YOU THINK IM GONNA TURN OFF MY PC JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF LOSERS (ENVIRONMENTAL FREAKS)DECIDED TO DO A TURN OFF DAY, WELL GUESS WHAT AS LONG AS THEY ARENT PAYING MY CON ED BILL THEN I REALLY DONT GIVE A RATS ASS LOL.

[TheCount @ Mar 24th 2007 3:02PM]

You could at least save the every energy it takes to type in all caps.

[mb @ Mar 24th 2007 4:17PM]

You play WoW, and you call environmentalists losers. Get a life.

[hh @ Mar 25th 2007 1:41PM]

tell me about it, ahmma about to pop 60 with my undead rogue.

any consideration for ISD is gone.

[pip @ Mar 24th 2007 5:05PM]

"DUDE I HAVE TO GET TO LVL 40 IN WoW, YOU THINK IM GONNA TURN OFF MY PC JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF LOSERS (ENVIRONMENTAL FREAKS)DECIDED TO DO A TURN OFF DAY, WELL GUESS WHAT AS LONG AS THEY ARENT PAYING MY CON ED BILL THEN I REALLY DONT GIVE A RATS ASS LOL."

the part i always like is if these so called freaks were to get some form of personal power generation and make it cheap and everywere, then you can be using any no of electronics devices, wireless networking, LCD,low power PC (efika PPC) and all manor of small powerful kit, then we would all be better off as we didnt need to put the coin in the elextric slot, the power companys might not like that though, actual end users saving money and generating their own electric from wind,water, and solar.....

save your cash, make your own ( or but a B&Q home wind turbine LOL).....

[Nate @ Mar 24th 2007 2:52PM]

3 PCS, A PS3, a 360, all running.

[Josh @ Mar 24th 2007 3:03PM]

I've turned on all my lights, have the SUV running on the drive, all my gadgets on...screw the planet.

[Jean @ Mar 24th 2007 3:07PM]

Yes, I'm still here! update the page more frequently already! I'm not one of those fruity bastards.

[Jesse S @ Mar 24th 2007 3:08PM]

lol...Inadvertently, my main rig is off because the video card fried.

[Jean @ Mar 24th 2007 3:08PM]

..

[Matt @ Mar 24th 2007 3:08PM]

hmm i have 2 pcs running one mac one pocket pc and one xbox 360 running... hmm shuting down? kiss my ass shutdownday.org

[Alex @ Mar 24th 2007 3:09PM]

We normally shut down our intranet servers (50 Xserve G5s and 25 Intel Xserves) on the Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays when we're closed, but I came in this morning and turned them on. Just for THIS !!!!!!

Theres 75 Computers against the International Shutdown Day

[stens @ Mar 24th 2007 3:17PM]

I can't beat Alex (applause for 75 servers up and running), but I've got four computers I'm leaving on, just out of spite.

[Rick Betteridge @ Mar 24th 2007 3:18PM]

Hmmm... Got six running at home.... 35 running where I'm at right now... and another couple thousand at work... I'll be part of the rebels.

[Yahhoun23 @ Mar 24th 2007 3:19PM]

I forgot about this waste of a day until yesterday. I had alot of things to do today (saturday) but because I wanted to boycott shutdown day, I decided to stay at home and do all kinds of things that I needed to do on the computer just so that I could boycott going outside and not using my computer today

[Larryi5 @ Mar 24th 2007 3:21PM]

lol that was today, i thought it was tomorrow, oh well ive been on my pc since i woke up besides showering and eating. im gonna be on all day :D

[Jason @ Mar 24th 2007 3:21PM]

The machine I'm typing this on is officially off. Amazing what computers can do these days. ;)

What a crazy publicity stunt by these guys. Yet they still get mentioned - negative or not.

[Ayle @ Mar 24th 2007 3:22PM]

Sorry I'm not done with my folding@home work unit so the shutdown will have to wait....

[JerryP @ Mar 24th 2007 3:29PM]

Nope!No computer for me today....oh wait....

[Lewis @ Mar 24th 2007 3:34PM]

Did anybody ever actually read what international shut down day is about? It isn't radical leftist power conservationists. It's a pledge drive to get money donated to organizations to help schools, children, hospitals, etc... in third world countries to get computers and internet connections. Why would you want to boycott something like that?

[Gurk 33 @ Mar 24th 2007 3:44PM]

Convenient that you didn't remind us yesterday, engadget!

F that anyway, I'll be on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMliLih1jsY

[something like tron @ Mar 24th 2007 3:45PM]

I'm pretty sure this whole project is a terrorist effort to cause a y2k-esque nuclear holocaust
Keep your computer on for America/Justice/Freedom!

[Eran @ Mar 24th 2007 3:47PM]

I can't do it, captain...
resistance is futile...


Who are we kidding, we can't do without. It's part of our lives.

[Dave A. @ Mar 24th 2007 3:58PM]

Oh, you mean that was today? I couldn't hear you over my speakers blasting various shades of video game music. And I still won't hear you above the noise the fan makes when I go to sleep. I have connections in IRC to maintain, ya know.

[Johan @ Mar 24th 2007 4:10PM]

Pssh. I can't use my computer from 8am-5pm tomorrow, why would I go two days without my spouse?

P.s., is it possible to change your engadget pw?

[tiuk @ Mar 24th 2007 4:15PM]

I'm alone at work (80+ PCs and various servers), makes me want to go around and turn everyone's computers on.

[Paul @ Mar 24th 2007 4:20PM]

"Running two, no wait, THREE computers, an Xbox 360 and folding on my PS3. TAKE THAT!"

If only there were decent games on PS3 you would probably be playing those instead huh?
Too bad all you have to use that thing for is folding@home

[Jamie @ Mar 24th 2007 5:18PM]

Ha ha, I was wondering how long it will take before a "I-can't-afford-it-so-it-eats-me-up" guy will find a way to drag ps3 into this, I feel your pain dude, ha ha ha....
Anyway, am I the only guy observing this day? C'mon, sure I played my wii this morning and have my 360 streaming sweet jams, and just paused Resistance fall of man on my PS3, but my treo hasnt been used today, no calls and... What? it has to be turned off for it to count? Son of a ... Well, they can count on all my five laptops and 4 desktops staying on then!! The nerve of some people.

[Seth Porter @ Mar 24th 2007 4:21PM]

what a pointless holiday. what a bunch of losers.

[perpetualtranze @ Mar 24th 2007 4:22PM]

Engadget is taking this thing wayyyy too seriously. First off I don't think they meant shut down ALL computers, just your home computer. I think Engadget is afraid of traffic loss for one day and when there's no traffic there's no money, and judging by all the ads on Engadget, money is a big thing to them. I don't care about the whole thing one way or another but some of you fattys could definitely use the fresh air and get outside...there is life beyond a computer.

[Paco @ Mar 24th 2007 4:22PM]

I highly endorse many people doing this. It frees up bandwith for me!

[Mikey @ Mar 24th 2007 4:25PM]

Here at WIU (Macomb, IL) there seems to be no difference in the number of computers running/wasting bandwidth. The internet is still slow as ever.

[Paco @ Mar 24th 2007 4:27PM]

i know :( more people need to shutdown.

[Mikey @ Mar 24th 2007 4:40PM]

A bit off the topic of the post...

The good news is that Inter-Hall Council (Our Residence Hall Association) approved a ResNet fee increase. They want to update the system, so next year it should be a bit faster.

[nick @ Mar 24th 2007 4:28PM]

3PCS 3Macs 360, Wii, PS3, Dreamcast, N64, and a PS2.

All up and running!

[boolean22 @ Mar 24th 2007 4:28PM]

MMh, I thought we were all going to Mars when this is all gone... So who the hell cares?
Even Transformers are up there. They say it rocks! (Or they said it was all rocks?)

[Allen @ Mar 24th 2007 4:31PM]

...they actually think im gonna turn off my beautiful Imac on my birthday!?!? HEh

[Poorieuser @ Mar 24th 2007 4:39PM]

More than likely this is a reverse psychology ploy of the power companies...

[Stefan Eriksson @ Mar 24th 2007 4:51PM]

2 pcs, 1 mac, 1 linux box, Ps3, Xbox 360, tv, pvr. take taht shutdownday.org. lets runa DNS attack!!! lol take that suckers

[Patrick @ Mar 24th 2007 4:55PM]

I turned on a bunch of blow driers to compensate for the dorks who shut down their computers.

[Geoffrey Sperl @ Mar 24th 2007 5:11PM]

Well, I've been on and off all day, as has my wife on her laptop. So that's two. And a TiVo. Does my Nintendo DS count? :)

[rc @ Mar 24th 2007 5:16PM]

Wtf?? What the hell is with everybody? Why are u all acting like you are threatened by this thing, as if you are being forced to stop living normally? I really dont see any point in wasting more energy because you think you're are such a rebel or something, it just means your electricity bills will go up!