Quoting Florian Zieboll (f.zieboll@???):

> Hallo Rick,
>
> this may be true from the consumer's point of view, but apparently, the
> energy needed to produce a new computer can exceed its lifetime savings
> by far. Quote from the German "Umweltbundesamt" (environmental agency):

This is certainly a concern worth taking seriously, so thank you.

> | The production of a laptop consumes so much energy that for energetic
> | reasons it is never worthwhile to exchange an old, still functional
> | device for a new, more energy-efficient device. If the new laptop is
> | ten percent more economical than the old one, it would have to be used
> | for almost 90 years, until it was worthwhile - from the point of view
> | of climate protection. Even if the new laptop - unrealistic - requires
> | 70% less power, it would have to be used for around 13 years, until it
> | has paid for itself energetically. There are, of course, many good
> | reasons to buy a new computer. Energy saving is not part of it. [1]
> | (google translation)
>
> Not sure, how up-to-date / backed this information is, especially for
> the trending SBCs - but I think that the environmental aspects of the
> production are a heavy argument for supporting older hardware.

Indeed, if one is public-spirited, one should remember that the
environmental costs of newly manufactured equipment also extend beyond
electricity the equipment will consume: There is also environmental
harm from the entire process of manufacture, distribution, and sale.

That having been said, my offhand guess is that in many cases one _can_
expect better than 70% less power from newer gear, on account of SSDs
replacing hard disks, 63.5mm-platter hard disks replacing 90mm ones,
fanless units replacing ones requiring many fans, and much better power
management at the hardware level.

But thank you for a useful perspective. And my thanks to the UBA for
its work. ('Für Mensch und Umwelt', indeed.)

> libre Grüße,
> Florian

What a lovely phrase! I may need to borrow it. Vielen Dank.

-- 
Cheers,             The genius of you Americans is that you never make 
Rick Moen           clear-cut stupid moves, only complicated stupid moves 
rick@??? that make us wonder at the possibility that there may be 
McQ!  (4x80)        something to them that we are missing. --Gamel Abdel Nasser